Stellar (XLM) is an open blockchain protocol designed to provide fast, cost-effective solutions for cross-border payments and asset transfers. It utilizes the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP), which ensures consensus among nodes, enabling transaction confirmations within seconds at minimal cost. This makes Stellar ideal for global remittances and microtransactions. The network connects various financial institutions and payment networks, facilitating efficient, affordable cross-border transfers. XLM, the native token of Stellar, plays a pivotal role as a bridge currency for fast exchanges between different assets.

Founded in 2014 by Jed McCaleb, co-founder of Ripple, Stellar has grown into one of the leading blockchain platforms focused on financial inclusion and blockchain-based payments.

In recent updates, Stellar’s Protocol 20 was officially rolled out in February 2024, introducing Soroban, a new smart contract platform designed to enhance developer experience and unlock decentralized applications (DApps) on the Stellar blockchain. Soroban allows developers to build more complex financial agreements and decentralized apps using multiple programming languages, such as Rust and JavaScript. This smart contract integration marks a major shift for Stellar, moving it beyond its core focus on payments and into the broader world of DeFi and DApps​.

The deployment of Soroban was accompanied by a phased upgrade process that began in late 2023, culminating in a stable release on February 20, 2024. Soroban’s release is expected to attract more developers to the Stellar ecosystem, further expanding its use cases.

Above are only for introduction, not intended as investment advice.