DeFi, payments, tokenization, Soroban, governance, and project launches — curated daily from publications, project blogs, and community channels across the Stellar blockchain ecosystem.
Bermuda is building the world's first fully on-chain economy with a sovereign digital dollar powered by Stellar and USDC infrastructure. The government airdropped $100 to residents, is accepting digital assets for taxes starting at the DMV, and is updating laws on contracts and securities.
Stellar Meridian 2025 in Rio showcased the evolution of Stellar's blockchain into production-grade infrastructure for payments, identity, RWAs, and stablecoins. Key sessions highlighted open systems, regulatory progress, privacy innovations, and real-world applications from partners like MoneyGram, Nubank, and Ondo Finance. LATAM and Africa emerged as blueprints for financial inclusion and efficient money movement.
DCM launched the Transparent Network (TPN), a blockchain-based instant payment system built on Stellar, to modernize Ukraine's financial infrastructure. TPN enables banks to process payments in under five seconds with 70% reduction in acquiring costs for merchants and 60% reduction in transaction costs for institutions.
Stellar's resources hub showcasing whitepapers, reports, and guidebooks on blockchain, crypto, fintech, and CBDCs. The page also promotes Stellar's newsletters for ecosystem updates and developer resources.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Stellar blockchain ecosystem, highlighting its key statistics, use cases like cross-border payments, microtransactions, CBDCs, and aid distribution, and unique features such as the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP). It emphasizes Stellar's focus on low-cost, fast transactions for financial inclusion and DeFi innovation. The ecosystem boasts $62.24M TVL, 200 TPS, and partnerships with entities like MoneyGram and IBM.
The Stellar Development Foundation published a contribution to OMFIF's Digital Assets 2024 Report titled 'The Power of Public Blockchains,' highlighting how public blockchains offer superior stability, security, and resilience compared to traditional financial infrastructure while enabling regulatory compliance and faster settlement.
Taurus, a digital asset infrastructure provider serving major financial institutions, has expanded its custody and tokenization platforms to the Stellar network, joining other major players like Franklin Templeton, WisdomTree, and Circle in leveraging Stellar for real-world asset tokenization.
The Stellar Development Foundation hosted a Cash-to-DeFi challenge track at Consensus X EasyA 2024 Hackathon in Austin, attracting global developers to build real-world financial solutions. Five winning projects were selected, including DeFindexes, Global Rupee, RampMeDaddy, Punch Starter, and Lumen Finance, each addressing financial inclusion and DeFi accessibility.
A roundup of global crypto regulations, adoption trends, and developments, including UK stablecoin laws, Hong Kong licensing, and South Africa's embrace of stablecoins. Highlights mainstream adoption like Swiss Postfinance's crypto services and Web3 hurdles. Notably features the launch of smart contracts on the Stellar network, marking a new era for the blockchain.
Stablecoins are revolutionizing global payments and remittances by offering low fees, fast transactions, and stability pegged to fiat currencies like the USD. USDC and USDT, available on blockchains including Stellar, provide secure, 24/7 cross-border transfers. The article explores their advantages, top stablecoins, non-USD options like EUROC, and future potential with CBDCs.
The Stellar Development Foundation partnered with PwC US to create a framework for assessing blockchain protocols' electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The guide addresses CBDCs' potential for financial inclusion, interoperability, and sustainability on open networks.
The Stellar Development Foundation has published a comprehensive guidebook for policymakers and regulators on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), addressing the growing global interest in government-backed digital assets on blockchain.
The Stellar Development Foundation published a whitepaper explaining how the Stellar network is uniquely suited for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), detailing its asset issuance features, consensus mechanism, and implementation guidance for central banks.
Advanced Payment Solutions joins Armenotech and Tempo France in a Stellar-based fintech ecosystem to bridge traditional and digital finance, with plans for CBDC projects and a Euro-nominated stablecoin.
The Stellar Newsletter highlights Q1 achievements including Franklin Templeton's OnChain Fund surpassing $270M AUM on Stellar blockchain, SDF's strategic progress, and new board member Asiff Hirji. It covers partnerships like Arf, Cebuana Lhuillier, and blockchain remittances, plus Soroban smart contracts developments and community spotlights. Upcoming Meridian 2023 in Madrid is announced.
Mercado Bitcoin and Stellar successfully tested a Brazilian CBDC on public blockchain, demonstrating delivery versus payment transactions with digital real. The pilot was part of Brazil's Central Bank LIFT Challenge to explore digital real use cases.
TASCOMBANK released findings from its electronic money pilot on Stellar, recommending blockchain adoption for Ukraine's payment system. The report highlights benefits including transparency, security, low costs, and high throughput for issuing hryvnia-nominated electronic money.
The Stellar Development Foundation submitted comments to the U.S. Treasury on digital asset regulation, advocating for interoperability between CBDCs, stablecoins, and blockchain-based systems to advance financial inclusion and reduce transaction costs.
SDF, eCurrency, and ANZ's CBDC prototype solution has been shortlisted for the G20 TechSprint 2022, competing to demonstrate how central bank digital currencies can be issued and distributed efficiently on blockchain infrastructure.
Stellar Development Foundation submitted comments to the Federal Reserve on how CBDCs could improve financial inclusion, reduce payment costs, and enable cross-border remittances. The SDF highlighted Stellar's role in CBDC infrastructure, citing examples like Brazil's central bank partnership and cost comparisons showing Stellar's efficiency for remittances.
The Stellar Development Foundation joined Mercado Bitcoin's CBDC consortium for Brazil's LIFT Challenge to develop a digital Real. The initiative aims to demonstrate instant settlement and delivery versus payment for crypto-assets, with a pilot potentially launching in Q4 2022.
Mercado Bitcoin partners with Stellar Development Foundation on LIFT Challenge Real Digital, exploring CBDC use cases for Brazil's central bank digital currency launching in H2 2022.
Stellar CEO Denelle Dixon announced that Stellar is working with Ukraine to launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC) using the hryvnia, with ongoing efforts despite delays from the conflict. The initiative involves partnerships with Bitt and Tascombank, and Ukraine has simultaneously seen significant growth in crypto adoption for donations and military purchases.
A comprehensive overview of Africa's rapidly growing Web3 economy, highlighting major blockchain protocols (including Stellar), venture capital investments, NGO partnerships, and government initiatives shaping the continent's crypto and blockchain landscape.
The Stellar Development Foundation released its 2021 Q4 report, highlighting major achievements including USDC integration, MoneyGram partnership for cash-in/cash-out services, $80.25M in Enterprise Fund investments, three protocol upgrades, and international CBDC pilots in Ukraine.
SDF published a guidebook for regulators on designing CBDCs, explaining how central bank digital currencies can improve financial inclusion through open blockchains like Stellar, with features like programmability, compliance controls, and privacy protections.
The Stellar Development Foundation announced that Stellar blockchain will power Ukraine's central bank digital currency pilot, led by FinTech firm Bitt and TASCOMBANK under central bank supervision. This positions Ukraine ahead of most European nations in CBDC development.