Stellar
XLMRank #20- Market cap
- $5.64B
- 24h volume
- $74.37M
- 7d change
- -5.8%
- 30d change
- -13.7%
- 24h high / low
- $0.165 / $0.1617
- Circulating supply
- 34.41B
- Max supply
- —
- All-time high
- $0.8756 (Jan 2, 2018)
Stellar is an open-source, decentralised network optimised for fast, low-cost cross-currency and cross-asset transfers, connecting traditional finance to digital networks via trusted Anchors.
By the PickACrypto Team · Updated Jul 26, 2026
Our read on Stellar
EstablishedNon-profit governedRWA-focused
Stellar has a long track record and a clear focus on bridging fiat and digital assets for underserved populations, supported by a non-profit foundation. Its reliance on trusted Anchors and a non-inflationary, fee-based token model presents a distinct trade-off between practical utility and decentralisation.
- Smart Contract Platform, Real World Assets (RWA)
- Category
- #20
- Market-cap rank
- 34,195,678,421 XLM
- Circulating supply
- 50,001,786,840 XLM
- Total supply
- Stellar Consensus Protocol (Federated Byzantine Agreement)
- Consensus
The bull case
- Co-founded in 2014, giving it a long operational history and established network effects in the blockchain space.
- Governed by the non-profit Stellar Development Foundation, aligning its mission with public utility and financial inclusion rather than profit.
- Features a built-in decentralised exchange and the Soroban smart contract platform, enabling asset trading and DeFi services without intermediaries.
- The community voted to disable inflation, removing a source of constant sell pressure and token dilution for XLM holders.
The bear case
- The network relies on Anchors, which are trusted entities that hold deposits and issue credits, introducing a centralised trust layer that may conflict with fully trustless ideals.
- XLM's primary utility is as an anti-spam and pathfinding intermediary token, which may limit demand drivers compared to networks where the native token captures fees or is used for gas.
- The initial token allocation was heavily weighted towards direct sign-up and partnership programs (75% combined), which could lead to concentrated holdings if not fully distributed.
- The Stellar Development Foundation controls 5% of the initial token supply for operational costs, creating a central point of financial influence over the network's development.
What Stellar is
Stellar is an open-source, decentralised network co-founded in 2014 by Jed McCaleb and Joyce Kim. Its core purpose is to facilitate the fast and low-cost transfer of value across different currencies and assets globally. The project is managed by the non-profit Stellar Development Foundation (SDF).
It acts as a global infrastructure designed to connect banks, payment systems, and individuals, with a specific goal of expanding financial access to underserved populations. Its main value proposition is bridging traditional money and digital networks through entities called Anchors.
How it works
The network operates using the Stellar Consensus Protocol, a Federated Byzantine Agreement system where nodes choose trusted sets of other nodes to agree on the state of the ledger. This design ensures high throughput and fast finality, with transactions considered permanent and irreversible within seconds.
A key feature is the use of Anchors, which are trusted entities that hold deposits and issue credits on the ledger. The network also includes a built-in distributed exchange for trading assets without intermediaries and the Soroban platform for developing smart contracts. The native token, XLM, is used to pay small transaction fees, maintain minimum account balances to prevent spam, and act as an intermediary currency to find efficient exchange paths.
Traction and revenue
Stellar is ranked #20 by market capitalisation. The network's traction is tied to its utility as a payment rail and asset issuance platform, rather than a speculative DeFi hub.
Users can utilise the network for tokenizing real-world assets or accessing decentralised finance services like peer-to-peer lending. The project is sustained by a global community of validators and developers.
Tokenomics
XLM has a circulating supply of 34,195,678,421 tokens out of a total supply of 50,001,786,840. There is no fixed maximum supply cap. Unlike many other digital assets, the network has no inflation because the community voted to disable the automatic creation of new tokens.
The initial token allocation was structured as follows: 50% for a Direct Sign-up Program, 25% for a Partnership Program, 20% for a Bitcoin Program, and 5% held by the SDF to support operational costs. XLM's utility is essential for maintaining network integrity by preventing spam and facilitating asset exchange paths.
Approximate allocation
- 50%Direct Sign-up Program
- 25%Partnership Program
- 20%Bitcoin Program
- 5%Held by SDF to support operational costs
Team and backers
Stellar was co-founded by Jed McCaleb and Joyce Kim in 2014. The project is managed by the non-profit Stellar Development Foundation.
Competitive edge
Stellar's competitive edge lies in its long-standing focus on connecting traditional finance with digital networks through a non-profit governance model. Its built-in compliance layer via Anchors makes it a practical choice for regulated entities looking to issue and transfer assets on-chain.
The network's design explicitly targets financial inclusion and fiat-to-crypto on/off-ramps, differentiating it from general-purpose smart contract platforms.
The addition of the Soroban smart contract platform expands its capabilities into more complex DeFi applications, but its core identity remains as a fast, low-cost payment and asset issuance rail.
Recent developments
Collected by our radar from Stellar's own channels. Each line links to the announcement it came from.
- data
Stellar's Q2 2026 quarterly update reported $3B in real-world assets, $11.4B in stablecoin transfer volume, and 2,968 monthly active developers up 125% YoY.
stellar.org → - upgrade
Stellar released a Developer Preview of Confidential Tokens, an OpenZeppelin contract suite adding private balances and transfer amounts to SEP-41 tokens.
stellar.org → - data
Stellar reported $2B+ in onchain RWAs, $5.5B in stablecoin payment volume, and 86% developer growth in its Q1 2026 update.
stellar.org →
Frequently asked questions
- What is the role of Anchors on the Stellar network?
- Anchors are trusted entities that hold deposits and issue credits on the Stellar ledger, acting as the bridge between traditional money and the digital network.
- Does Stellar have a maximum token supply cap?
- No, Stellar does not have a fixed maximum supply cap. However, the community voted to disable inflation, so new tokens are not automatically created.
- What is the Stellar Consensus Protocol?
- It is a Federated Byzantine Agreement system where nodes choose trusted sets of other nodes to agree on the state of the ledger, ensuring high throughput and fast finality within seconds.
Sources
The durable facts on this page are drawn from the sources below; live market figures update from our own database. See our methodology.
Technical indicators
Computed daily by our pipeline from accumulated price history.
- RSI (14d)
- 33.49
- 50-day SMA
- $0.1912
- 200-day SMA
- $0.1784
- Volatility (30d, annualised)
- 62.97%
- 90d support
- $0.1434
- 90d resistance
- $0.2622
- Correlation vs BTC
- 0.52
- Correlation vs ETH
- 0.51
Stellar price prediction
Our deterministic model publishes forecast ranges for Stellar across five horizons, each recorded immutably and scored on the Accuracy Ledger when it matures.
This is research and analysis, not financial advice. Crypto is volatile and you can lose what you put in. Figures are sourced above or drawn live from our own database. Always do your own research.
Market data synced from CoinGecko into our own database. This page's figures were captured Sun, 09 Aug 2026 21:00:00 GMT. Every figure is injected from that record; see the methodology. Nothing on this page is financial advice. Read the disclaimer.