DeFi, payments, tokenization, Soroban, governance, and project launches — curated daily from publications, project blogs, and community channels across the Stellar blockchain ecosystem.
The Stellar Anchor Platform now supports two on and off-ramp standards, enabling businesses to integrate cross-border payments and fiat-to-digital asset exchange on Stellar. Companies like Banxa and Flutterwave are already using the platform to expand their payment services across regions.
Beans, a non-custodial payments app on Stellar, announced major updates including a redesigned UI, support for Nigerian Naira and USD bank deposits/withdrawals via new partners Link and Kado, an in-app QR scanner, and a new support page. The app has doubled its user base over three consecutive months.
The Stellar Development Foundation unveiled a new brand identity centered on the tagline 'Where Blockchain Meets the Real World,' reflecting its focus on real-world utility and financial inclusion. The rebrand includes updated visual design, website, and a partnership with actor Idris Elba as an ambassador, whose mission aligns with SDF's commitment to creating equitable access to opportunity.
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 Newsletter highlights key developments including the launch of the open-source Stellar Disbursement Platform, Allbridge's cross-chain bridge connecting Stellar to Ethereum, Solana, Celo, and Polygon, and SDF's investment in MoneyGram International. It also promotes Meridian 2023 conference, developer tools for Soroban, and various ecosystem updates like Airtm's USDC integration and Q2 review. The content emphasizes Stellar's growth in interoperability, financial inclusion, and smart contract scalability.
Stellar launched its open-source Disbursement Platform globally, enabling fast, low-cost bulk payments for gig workers, payroll, and aid distribution across 180+ countries with real-time tracking and instant cash conversion.
Stellar Development Foundation invested in MoneyGram International as a minority investor, with CEO Denelle Dixon joining MoneyGram's board. The investment aims to support MoneyGram's digital transformation and blockchain exploration to serve underbanked populations globally.
Stellar Development Foundation has published an e-book showcasing case studies of financial institutions and fintechs building on the Stellar network, highlighting applications in cross-border payments, remittances, and financial inclusion.
UNHCR and the UN's technology provider UNICC are piloting Stellar Aid Assist, a blockchain-based cash disbursement solution using the Stellar network and USDC stablecoin to deliver humanitarian aid directly to displaced persons in Ukraine. The program enables instant bulk transfers, eliminates banking requirements, and provides full transaction traceability.
A free eBook guidebook explaining how businesses can use the Stellar network to streamline cross-border payments, reduce costs, and leverage stablecoins for international transactions without currency volatility.
Owny is a white-label platform that leverages Stellar blockchain and AI to streamline private equity fund management, capital raising, and investor relations. The platform tokenizes assets on Stellar, enabling fast, low-cost cross-border payments and simplified compliance for alternative asset marketplaces.
GetPaid is a Stellar-powered marketplace connecting African digital professionals with global companies, enabling cross-border payments in multiple currencies with fast settlement and low fees. The platform leverages Stellar's Anchor platform and SEP standards to provide accessible financial services to freelancers, creators, and traders in Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
Félix, a WhatsApp-based remittance platform, partners with Bitso to enable faster and cheaper cross-border payments from the US to Latin America using USDC on the Stellar network. The solution reduces remittance times from hours or days to seconds while dramatically lowering transaction fees.
MoneyGram International has launched MoneyGram Ramps, a cash-to-crypto on and off-ramp service powered by the Stellar blockchain and USDC stablecoin. The service enables unbanked and underbanked populations to convert physical cash to digital assets at MoneyGram's 480,000+ locations worldwide, addressing the critical last-mile problem in blockchain adoption.
Arf, a regulated liquidity and settlement platform, leverages the Stellar network and USDC to provide cross-border payment solutions for financial institutions. By eliminating pre-funding requirements and enabling same-day settlements, Arf has extended over $830 million in loans with $1.6 billion in on-chain transaction volume since 2022.
This article explains the role of lumens (XLM), Stellar's native token, in the network's design. Lumens serve as a modest barrier to prevent spam and abuse while keeping the network accessible, with a minimum balance requirement of 1 lumen and transaction fees of 0.00001 XLM.
Vesseo is a wallet app built on Stellar by Sunship, Inc. (an SDF subsidiary) that enables Argentines to quickly and cheaply purchase and hold USDC to protect against peso devaluation. The app leverages Stellar's fast settlement, low fees, and asset issuance capabilities to provide a simple alternative to traditional dollar-holding methods.
Bitso integrated Stellar's Anchor Network to enable USDC payments to Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico, leveraging blockchain to improve cross-border settlement times and costs for businesses and remittances.
Stellar addresses financial exclusion by enabling unbanked and underbanked populations to access digital financial services through on and off-ramps, asset tokenization, and partnerships with services like MoneyGram and Stellar Aid Assist, though 1.4 billion unbanked people globally means much work remains.
This article explains what anchors are on the Stellar network—organizations that bridge traditional banking systems to Stellar, enabling users to exchange fiat currency for digital assets. It covers anchor types, benefits, and how to become one through the Anchor Platform.
Beans publishes a step-by-step tutorial on how to deposit and withdraw cash through MoneyGram integration, enabling users to move money in and out of their non-custodial app with zero fees.
Coinbase now supports USDC deposits and withdrawals via Stellar, enabling millions of users to access faster, low-cost digital dollar transactions with near-zero fees and 5-second settlement times across 180+ countries.
Beans is running a video contest offering $50 rewards for the 3 best videos showcasing how users are utilizing the Beans app and MoneyGram cash on/off-ramp functionality for real-world use cases like remittances and bill payments.
