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đź’ĄProtocol 20 and Smart Contracts Are Live on Mainnetđź’Ą
February 20, 2024
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On Feb. 20, Stellar network validators voted to upgrade Mainnet to Protocol 20, kicking off a new era for the Stellar smart contracts tech stack, which delivers a secure, batteries-included developer experience built to scale and for real-world use.

Getting to this moment has been an incredible journey. For the last two years, the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) and the Stellar community have discussed, designed, and built new functionality transforming the Stellar network. Together, we iterated over ten releases in the open, designed novel concepts aimed at solving some of blockchain's biggest unsolved problems like state bloat, committed hundreds of thousands of lines of code, deployed 160+ projects on Testnet and awarded tens of millions worth of XLM through 24 rounds of the Stellar Community Fund to support developers and projects that are building next generation everyday financial services on Stellar.

We are grateful for everyone who 1has been a part of this journey. From SDF team members to our supportive community of builders, this was only possible with a lot of keystrokes, support, and belief in the vision for secure, scalable, and easy-to-build smart contracts on Stellar.

THE PHASED ROLLOUT

But this ride is not over. Today's vote marks the beginning of a phased rollout where validators, who vote to configure network settings, will increase capacity for smart contract transactions in a series of methodical steps. The phased approach will give those validators, as well as other network participants, time to monitor smart contract functionality's impact on the network and ensure performance, security, and stability at every step.

Gradually, validators plan to increase limits for Soroban transactions, building up to full capacity. As the increases happen and we enter phase 1, the 160+ builders and projects already building on Testnet will begin to deploy on Mainnet. Later, once projects are deployed, the network has been stress-tested, and the ecosystem is satisfied, dapps will launch for all to use. SDF will communicate throughout the process, but the initial details on the rollout can be found here or in the video below for those interested.

LOW-COST, SECURE AND SCALABLE

Stellar is a network that is low cost, fast, and built to scale, with a global reach to a growing share of the world's underserved population. Now with smart contracts on Stellar a whole new world is opening up for builders, where security, affordability, and scalability aren't on the roadmap but built into the code, with resources and tools for the masses, and access to an ecosystem that is already delivering real-world utility.

SECURE & EASY TO BUILD

It's no secret that smart contracts are not easy to write.

The blockchain industry has opted to spin up its own way of doing things instead of leaning on tried and true tools. It requires developers to spend energy, time, and mindshare learning new platforms and bespoke languages to tinker and build. There are bugs and vulnerabilities codified into other chains. Taken together this can make any developer want to stop before they get started. For Soroban, security and ease of building were priority #1. In collaboration and consultation with the ecosystem, intentional design decisions were made so builders wouldn't need to start from scratch or choose performance over security. Together, a decision was made to use Rust and WASM – tested and well-known tools – for Soroban's tech stack to build an experience prioritizing safety, speed, and familiarity. We set out to build something anyone could build on, making the hurdle from idea to deployment shorter and more manageable so builders can create faster.

SCALABLE AND EFFICIENT

Scalability and efficiency are the bread and butter of any platform worth its salt. You shouldn't have to compromise when building a platform meant to revolutionize the world's financial systems. Transaction costs need to be low, fees must be predictable, and the platform needs to be able to handle growth. This is where smart contracts on Stellar shine. Soroban engineers have conducted research that influenced the design of specific features that support network scalability and sustainability. For example, Soroban employs a fees and metering structure that allows individual resource consumption (such as ledger entry reads and writes, CPU instructions, and RAM) to be priced independently, and it offers a state-of-the-art method for archiving state that solves the age-old blockchain problem of state bloat. No retroactive fixes or massive upgrades are needed to solve problems that can be solved from the beginning.

GROUNDED IN THE REAL WORLD FOR REAL PEOPLE

And let's not forget the reason we're all here – to offer people tools that make their lives easier and better. Blockchain can grant access to a whole world of financial opportunity, but until now, many people have been stuck on the sidelines, watching from afar. Simply put, transaction costs on certain chains are a barrier to entry, and the lack of on and off-ramp infrastructure keeps users without the ability to get in and out of the digital economy. No bank account? No problem. For the last ten years, the Stellar ecosystem has amassed the necessary building blocks for this moment, growing the number of asset issuers, on and off-ramps, and wallets on the network. Now, with smart contracts, dapps can participate in a new era of inclusivity, opening the door for builders to reach untapped markets around the globe and giving users access to financial services and applications like never before—pioneering finance for every pocket.
 

RELIABLE AND PROVEN

With a decade of experience, the Stellar ecosystem is a well-oiled machine. The worries of building on an unproven platform don't apply here. Whether you're a developer, entrepreneur, or someone with a killer idea, Stellar has everything you need to hit the ground running. With Stellar, you're starting on solid ground with a network of top-tier exchanges, on and off-ramps, custody providers, wallets, and a whole host of other resources on a proven, reliable network ready to power your project on day 1.
 
Today marks a beginning not an end, so stay connected, get ready to deploy and be part of the growing community shaping the future of decentralized finance.
 
 
 

 

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Full video: https://youtu.be/kUx1pJ9wadQ?si=FrqIfoeWJHtgBZXa

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📽️ One of the most important things we’ve done at Pyth is help bring U.S. GDP onchain 🏛️

Working with the U.S. Department of Commerce to publish official economic data on a public blockchain is a powerful signal of where global market infrastructure is headed. When core economic indicators become cryptographically verifiable, composable, and accessible in real time, it opens the door to a more transparent and more efficient financial system for everyone.

Thanks to Roundtable and Jackson Hinkle for hosting a thoughtful conversation on how this came together and what it means for the future of market data.

In a conversation with Jackson Hinkle

Full interview link: https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/policy/why-washington-is-experimenting-with-public-blockchains-for-economic-data

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🚀 The Mind-Blowing Patent That Could Revolutionize Space Travel: US Navy's Anti-Gravity Craft! 🛸

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🎯 The Patent That Made Physicists Go "Wait, WHAT?!"

Filed on April 28, 2016, and granted on December 4, 2018, this patent describes a "Craft Using an Inertial Mass Reduction Device" – which is fancy talk for "spaceship that can make itself lighter than physics allows."

Invented by Salvatore Cezar Pais and assigned to the US Department of Navy, this isn't your average paper airplane design. We're talking about technology that could theoretically allow spacecraft to travel at extreme speeds by literally manipulating the fabric of spacetime itself! ⚡

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👉 Coinbase just launched an AI agent for Crypto Trading

Custom AI assistants that print money in your sleep? 🔜

The future of Crypto x AI is about to go crazy.

👉 Here’s what you need to know:

đź’  'Based Agent' enables creation of custom AI agents
đź’  Users set up personalized agents in < 3 minutes
đź’  Equipped w/ crypto wallet and on-chain functions
đź’  Capable of completing trades, swaps, and staking
💠 Integrates with Coinbase’s SDK, OpenAI, & Replit

👉 What this means for the future of Crypto:

1. Open Access: Democratized access to advanced trading
2. Automated Txns: Complex trades + streamlined on-chain activity
3. AI Dominance: Est ~80% of crypto 👉txns done by AI agents by 2025

🚨 I personally wouldn't bet against Brian Armstrong and Jesse Pollak.

👉 Coinbase just launched an AI agent for Crypto Trading

🚨 Ripple Drops $2.7 B Cash-and-Stock Deal for Full-Stack Financial Platform 🚨

Ripple has agreed to buy (subject to CFIUS and EC clearance) a yet-unnamed “full-stack” payments, FX and treasury-suite provider—valued at $2.7 B, its largest acquisition to date—to fold fiat rails, card issuing and 200+ country licenses directly into the XRP Ledger ecosystem, according to Crypto Threads’ unnamed sources close to the board.

🔑 Key points

🔹 Target profile:

  • 1,100 employees, 42 offices; owns EMI licenses in EU/UK, MSB registrations in 47 U.S. states, PI/PF licenses in Singapore, HK, UAE; processes $48 B annual payments volume, 65 % B2B cross-border.

  • Proprietary FX engine aggregates 450+ correspondent-bank routes plus four CSD access points (Fedwire, TARGET2, BOJ-NET, CHATS); average FX markup 18 bps vs Ripple ODL’s current 60 bps.

  • White-label card platform (Visa Fintech Fast-Track member) with 3.2 M virtual cards issued; instant push-to-debit rails in 70 countries.

🔹 Deal ...

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JUST IN - Trump announces 10% tariffs for Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, UK, Netherlands and Finland from Feb 1st, 👉 increasing to 25% on June 1st, until "a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."

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Bank of England must plan for financial crisis sparked by aliens đź‘˝

A former analyst at the central bank has urged governor Andrew Bailey to put contingencies in place to prevent collapse if alien life is confirmed

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/bank-of-england-must-prepare-for-ufo-announcement-f3mh8l9vh

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🚨David Grusch on The Megyn Kelly Show🚨

Earlier this week, UFO/UAP whistleblower David Grusch appeared on The Megyn Kelly Show for a brief but revealing interview. During the conversation, Grusch named individuals he claimed were involved in managing the alleged UFO/UAP Legacy crash retrieval program, statements that immediately drew attention across the disclosure community.

Most notably, Grusch asserted that former Vice President Dick Cheney played a central role in overseeing the program. Cheney’s name has circulated within UFO/UAP research circles for years, but this marks the first time it has been spoken publicly by a former intelligence official who claims direct knowledge of the issue. It is also notable that just weeks ago, journalist Ross Coulthart independently referenced Cheney in a similar context, lending additional weight to the consistency of these claims.

Grusch also named former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, stating that Clapper was not only aware of the crash retrieval issue, but managed it and helped place individuals into key roles, both publicly and behind the scenes. These are serious assertions that warrant scrutiny and further investigation, given their potential implications for disclosure.

Please watch the full interview and consider its significance within the broader context of the disclosure conversation. Please note that the interview concludes with a paid promotional pitch, and Grusch does not provide any additional comments after the pitch.

 

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Stellar CEO Reveals Where Real Opportunity Lies in Crypto Market: Details

In a recent tweet, Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) CEO and Executive Director Denelle Dixon defines what "real opportunity" is in blockchain as a new financial future beckons.

The SDF CEO was reacting to a recent Bloomberg report on Bank of New York Mellon Corp (BNY), Nasdaq, S&P Global and iCapital participation in a new $50 million investment round by Digital Asset Holdings. This comes as some of Wall Street’s biggest names embrace the technology that underpins cryptocurrencies to handle traditional assets.

Reacting to this development, Stellar Foundation CEO Denelle Dixon stated that every blockchain investment is a bet on a different financial future. Dixon added that seeing banks explore blockchain technology validates what has been known over the years.

Real opportunity defined

While Wall Street’s biggest names betting on blockchain might be one of the most significant adoption milestones in the digital asset market, Dixon defines what real opportunity is and what it is not.

According to the SDF executive director, real opportunity is not replicating old systems on new rails but rather building open networks that fundamentally expand global finance participation.

"But the real opportunity isn’t replicating old systems on new rails—it’s building open networks that fundamentally expand who gets to participate in global finance. That’s the opportunity," Dixon tweeted.

At the Meridian 2025 event, Stellar outlined its long-term privacy strategy, committing to investing in critical privacy infrastructure and building foundational cryptographic capabilities.

Stellar eyes privacy upgrade

A new protocol upgrade is on the horizon for the Stellar network: X-Ray, which lays the groundwork for developers to build privacy applications on Stellar using zero-knowledge (ZK) cryptography.

The protocol timeline testnet vote is anticipated for Jan. 7, 2026, while the mainnet vote is expected for Jan. 22, 2026.

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XDC Network's acquisition of Contour Network

XDC Network's acquisition of Contour Network marks a silent shift to connect the digital trade infrastructure to real-time, tokenized settlement rails.

In a world where cross-border payments still take days and trap trillions in idle liquidity, integrating Contour’s trade workflows with XDC Network Blockchains' ISO 20022 financial messaging standard to bridge TradFi and Web3 in Trade Finance.

The Current State of Cross-Border Trade Settlements

Cross-border payments remain one of the most inefficient parts of global finance. For decades, companies have inter-dependency with banks and their correspondent banks across the world, forcing them to maintain trillions of dollars in pre-funded nostro and vostro balances — the capital that sits idle while transactions crawl across borders.

Traditional settlement is slow, often 1–5 days, and often with ~2-3% in FX and conversion fees. For every hour a corporation can’t access its own cash increases the cost of financing, tightens liquidity that could be used for other purposes, which in turn slows economic activity.

Before SWIFT, payments were fully manual. Intermediary banks maintained ledgers, and reconciliation across multiple institutions limited speed and volume.

SWIFT reshaped global payments by introducing a secure, standardized messaging infrastructure through ISO 20022 - which quickly became the language of money for 11,000+ institutions in 200 countries.

But SWIFT only fixed the messaging — not the movement. Actual value still moves through slow, capital-intensive correspondent chains.

Regulated and Compliant Stablecoin such as USDC (Circle) solves the part SWIFT never could: instant, on-chain settlement.

Stablecoin Settlement revamping Trade and Tokenization

Stablecoin such as USDC is a digital token pegged to the US Dollar, still the most widely used currency for trade, enabling the movement of funds instantly 24*7 globally - transparently, instantly, and without the need for any intermediaries and the need to lock in trillions of dollars of idle cash.

Tokenized settlement replaces multi-day reconciliation with on-chain finality, reducing:

  • Dependency on intermediaries
  • Operational friction
  • Trillions locked in idle liquidity

For corporates trapped in long working capital cycles, this is transformative.

Digital dollars like USDC make the process simple:

Fiat → Stablecoin → On-Chain Transfer → Fiat

This hybrid model is already widely used across remittances, payouts, and treasury flows.

But one critical piece of global commerce is still lagging:

👉 Trade finance.

The Missing link is still Trade Finance Infrastructure.

While payments innovation has raced ahead, trade finance infrastructure hasn’t kept up. Document flows, letters of credit, and supply-chain financing remain siloed, paper-heavy, and operationally outdated.

This is exactly where the next breakthrough will happen - and why the recent XDC Network acquisition of Contour is a silent revolution.

It transforms to a new era of trade-driven liquidity through an end-to-end digital trade from shipping docs to payment confirmation – one infrastructure that powers all.

The breakthrough won’t come from payments alone — it will come from connecting trade finance to real-time settlement rails.

The XDC + Contour Shift: A Silent Revolution

  • Contour already connects global banks and corporates through digital LCs and digitized trade workflows.
  • XDC Blockchain brings a settlement layer built for speed, tokenization, and institutional-grade interoperability and ISO 20022 messaging compatibility

Contour’s digital letter of credit workflows will be integrated with XDC’s blockchain network to streamline trade documentation and settlement.

Together, they form the first end-to-end digital trade finance network linking:

Documentation → Validation → Settlement all under a single infrastructure.

XDC Ventures (XVC.TECH) is launching a Stable-Coin Lab to work with financial institutions on regulated stablecoin pilots for trade to deepen institutional trade-finance integration through launch of pilots with banks and corporates for regulated stable-coin issuance and settlement.

The Bottom Line

Payments alone won’t transform Global Trade Finance — Trade finance + Tokenized Settlement will.

This is the shift happening underway XDC Network's acquisition of Contour is the quiet catalyst.

Learn how trade finance is being revolutionised:

https://www.reuters.com/press-releases/xdc-ventures-acquires-contour-network-launches-stablecoin-lab-trade-finance-2025-10-22/

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