Stellar news

Stellar has activated its Protocol 30 upgrade, codenamed Bell, on the testnet. The upgrade introduces muxed contract addresses (CAP-84) that allow businesses to manage multiple customer balances through a single smart contract, post-quantum ML-DSA signature verification for smart contracts (CAP-87), and millisecond ledger timing (CAP-88) to enable faster processing in future upgrades. Network transaction signatures will continue using Ed25519. Validators are scheduled to vote on mainnet activation on November 23 at 17:00 UTC, having already voted to activate the testnet upgrade on November 3. Wallet providers, exchanges, and infrastructure operators must update their software to support the new address format and ledger changes before mainnet activation. The Stellar Development Foundation has released Protocol 30-compatible versions of its infrastructure software.

MetaMask added Stellar as a default network on Oct. 29, deriving Stellar addresses from existing users' recovery phrases. The integration supports stablecoin payments, but new accounts require funding and token activation before receiving assets. Under Stellar's reserve rules, an unfunded account needs at least 1 XLM, plus 0.5 XLM per token trustline. Users must activate a USDC trustline manually before receiving the token. For cross-chain swaps, MetaMask warns that bridged funds can be lost if the trustline isn't set up first, while ordinary Stellar sends without one simply fail.

Curve Finance has launched its StableSwap exchange on the Stellar mainnet, marking its first native deployment outside the Ethereum Virtual Machine ecosystem. The release, announced Thursday with the Stellar Development Foundation, brings permissionless stablecoin pools, asset swapping, and liquidity provision to Stellar users. Curve's total value locked was approximately $1.27 billion at the time, while Stellar's stablecoin market cap is around $394 million, mostly in USDC. The protocol plans to introduce its FXSwap product after audits are complete. The move positions Curve as a key DeFi player on Stellar, focusing on low-slippage trades between pegged assets. While the launch expands Stellar's DeFi offerings, the permissionless design means users must assess pool risks themselves. On-chain activity metrics for the new pools have not yet been disclosed.

Curve Finance has launched on the Stellar mainnet, marking its first native deployment outside the Ethereum Virtual Machine ecosystem. The release introduces Curve's StableSwap technology, allowing users to create permissionless pools, swap assets, and provide liquidity on Stellar. Founder Michael Egorov cited institutional demand as a key driver for expanding beyond EVM networks. The integration could enable lending apps to use Curve pools for liquidations and asset issuers to build markets, with Stellar supporting stablecoins and tokenized assets like Franklin Templeton's money market fund. Curve plans to bring its FXSwap exchange to Stellar after an audit, with no timeline given. Curve currently holds about $1.27 billion in total value locked.

M1X Global President and COO Jordan Goldman said Stellar's focus on real-world financial applications is drawing growing government interest, as the network's Meridian 2026 conference opened in Lisbon. The event, running October 28-29, features speakers from DTCC Digital Assets, SkyBridge, and U.S. Bank, alongside discussions on the Bell protocol upgrade for speed and quantum security. Goldman highlighted M1X's execution of the first institutional repo transaction on Stellar on October 23, using USDM1, a sovereign bond token backed by US Treasuries. This programmable collateral financing capability, operating 24/7, is a key draw for governments. Additionally, Archax announced €GOVY, a product for tokenized government bills. The 2025 Meridian attracted over 1,000 attendees from 65 countries, with this year's agenda leaning into institutional and policy topics.

MoneyGram has deepened its five-year partnership with the Stellar network, moving beyond its initial cash-to-USDC ramps to launch its own USD-pegged stablecoin, MGUSD, in June 2026. The remittance giant, serving 60 million customers across 170 countries, cited trust in Stellar as the key factor, ranking it above transaction speed or cost. In July 2026, MoneyGram also became a Tier 1 validator on the network, and its in-app digital dollar balance feature runs exclusively on Stellar. The partnership, which began in 2021, has evolved from pilot programs to a proprietary token, with accessibility features highlighted in Latin American markets like Colombia and El Salvador. Stellar Development Foundation CEO Denelle Dixon called MGUSD a significant milestone, demonstrating what a purpose-built blockchain can achieve with a trusted payment network. The move underscores how blockchain adoption in payments progresses through deliberate steps, building on existing cash networks and long-term relationships.

Securitize announced plans to integrate the Stellar network into its tokenization infrastructure, making Stellar its 17th supported blockchain. The integration aims to let institutional asset managers issue and manage regulated financial products on Stellar while using Securitize's securities infrastructure. No specific assets, launch partners, or completion date were announced. The agreement was unveiled at Meridian 2026, the Stellar Development Foundation's conference in Lisbon. Securitize reported approximately $5 billion in tokenized securities on its platform as of September 30. Stellar's tokenized real-world asset market exceeded $3 billion in July, according to RedStone research, with products from Franklin Templeton, Spiko, and Ondo Finance. The company described the agreement as a planned expansion, stressing that implementation could be delayed or changed due to technical, regulatory, or commercial conditions.

Tokenization platform Securitize has added Stellar to its supported blockchains, which already include Ethereum, Solana and Avalanche. The announcement was made at the Stellar Development Foundation's Meridian 2026 conference in Lisbon. Securitize, known for managing BlackRock's BUIDL tokenized money-market fund, said Stellar is a fast and scalable network where assets can be configured for KYC, clawbacks and sanctions compliance. Franklin Templeton runs a tokenized money market fund on Stellar, and MoneyGram uses it for daily money transfers. Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo said Stellar has built the fourth-largest ecosystem for tokenized real-world assets, reflecting growing institutional demand. Stellar, founded in 2017, went public on the New York Stock Exchange in July, listing its own stock on Solana and Avalanche. The tokenization sector is expanding as more companies offer shares, bonds and commodities that can trade around the clock with few geographic restrictions.

Janus Henderson and Centrifuge launched a tokenized fund tracking the Nasdaq-100 Index on Stellar, offering non-US institutions exposure to the benchmark. Called JQQQ, the fund is structured as a segregated portfolio of a British Virgin Islands company and requires a minimum investment of $100,000, targeting eligible professional investors outside the United States. The launch expands Janus Henderson's onchain strategies, which now exceed $1 billion, and follows Nasdaq's April decision to license its index to additional asset managers. This move boosts Stellar's tokenization business, which ranks fourth among blockchains with about $3.8 billion in tokenized assets. The network hosts offerings from issuers like Franklin Templeton and Ondo, and is part of a planned DTCC expansion expected in 2027. Despite this growth, Stellar's XLM token has fallen roughly 16% year-to-date, trading near $0.17.

Janus Henderson, a $500 billion asset manager, and Centrifuge launched JQQQ, an issuer-sponsored fund on the Stellar blockchain that tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index. The fund is licensed by Nasdaq, with Janus Henderson managing and issuing it, and Centrifuge providing the blockchain infrastructure. This launch expands Wall Street's tokenization push into stock-market products and brings Janus Henderson's onchain platform to over $1 billion in assets. It contrasts with third-party stock tokens, which lack issuer involvement and shareholder rights, a key point in the ongoing tokenization debate.