What is Stellar (XLM)
Stellar is a blockchain protocol created by Jed McCaleb as a “sister” project to Ripple, with which it shares some origins but from which it differs in mission and governance. It is designed above all for cross-border payments: it works as an infrastructure that allows different currencies to be converted and transferred quickly and cheaply, including through the tokenisation of traditional currencies.
XLM is the network’s native crypto-asset and plays a mainly technical role: it covers the small fees of transactions and protects the network from spam. Every account must keep a minimum balance (0.5 XLM), a measure that discourages the creation of inactive or malicious accounts.
The mission and smart contracts
The project’s stated goal is to “make money more fluid, markets more open and people more independent”, with particular attention to financial services for those without access to the traditional banking system (the so-called unbanked).
On the technology side, in 2024 the network introduced smart contracts, significantly expanding the possibilities for developers and opening Stellar to the world of decentralised applications, beyond its original core of payments.
Foundation and partnerships
Development is led by the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF), a non-profit organisation founded in 2014 that promotes the network’s growth. This non-profit setup is one of the most marked differences compared with other projects in the sector.
Stellar has also formed collaborations with important players in the world of payments and traditional finance, such as MoneyGram and Franklin Templeton, and supports the integration of stablecoins, including Circle’s EURC, pegged to the euro.
What to consider
Like all crypto-assets, XLM has shown a highly volatile price trend, influenced by the general market and by the network’s actual adoption in payments.
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Stellar Market Data
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