DeFi, payments, tokenization, Soroban, governance, and project launches — curated daily from publications, project blogs, and community channels across the Stellar blockchain ecosystem.
Abroad announces a strategic partnership with Zypto to enable instant crypto payments in Brazil using stablecoins like USDC. Users can pay via PIX QR codes or numbers, with instant settlement in Brazilian reais directly to recipients' accounts. Zypto's ecosystem, including its wallet and payment tools, integrates with partners like Stellar for seamless crypto-to-fiat usability.
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.
The HackMeridian hackathon was an intense and engaging event where participants developed projects using Stellar ecosystem tools. Networking, one-on-one mentorships, and workshops provided practical learning in Web3 and blockchain development. The event highlighted community collaboration and open innovation.
Mercado Bitcoin announced at Stellar Meridian 2025 that it will issue $200 million in tokenized fixed income and equity instruments on the Stellar network, strengthening the ecosystem's position as a leading platform for real-world assets in Latin America.
A Stellar Development Foundation Senior Marketing Advisor shares their first-month experience joining @StellarOrg to lead APAC strategy. They highlight Stellar's focus on real-world financial problems, the recent Soroban smart contract upgrade enabling complex dApps, and opportunities for founders and developers to build on the ecosystem.
Diego Yanez's alfred, an SCF-funded anchor-as-a-service platform for Latin America, evolved from a consumer wallet into a B2B infrastructure provider enabling businesses to access liquidity in local currencies and digital assets on Stellar. The article showcases how SCF support enabled alfred to pivot strategically and raise $3.5M in additional funding.
XLM climbed 3% to break through $0.37 resistance on above-average volumes as Stellar prepares Protocol 23 upgrade. South Korean exchanges Bithumb and Upbit will pause XLM deposits/withdrawals Sept. 3 to support the network enhancement, which aims to expand interoperability for the $460 million in tokenized assets already on Stellar.
TD Markets Exchange has launched ZARC Coin, a South African Rand-pegged stablecoin on the Stellar network, in partnership with Shift Markets. The asset offers up to 7.5% APY and enables cross-border payments, remittances, and wealth preservation with 24/7 liquidity and local on/off ramps.
This article argues that USD Coin (USDC) is the best stablecoin to hold in 2025 due to its transparency, regulatory compliance, multi-chain availability including Stellar, and growing adoption in emerging markets. It contrasts USDC with alternatives like USDT and DAI, highlighting risks in less transparent or volatile stablecoins. USDC's institutional support and real-world utility in remittances and DeFi make it a standout choice.
The Stellar Development Foundation hosted a panel at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development discussing how blockchain-based tools are delivering measurable results for underserved populations. The session explored real-world applications including the Stellar Disbursement Platform for healthcare worker payments and Decaf wallet for financial inclusion across geographic and socioeconomic borders.
Pacto is a non-custodial, decentralized peer-to-peer exchange for Stellar-based stablecoins, built in 48 hours at the Casa Builder Hackathon using Trustless Work. It enables merchants and users to trade stablecoins for local fiat via on-chain smart escrow contracts without intermediaries. The open-source project supports community ramps, merchant off-ramps, and DAO payouts.
Abroad has won the Stellar Community Fund Build Award #35 for its innovative crypto-fiat infrastructure enabling cross-border payments in Latin America. The award highlights new features like USDC-to-Pix conversions in Brazil with instant local settlements. This funding will accelerate Abroad's expansion across new payment corridors.
Stellar and BAF concluded a Latin American hackathon with 136 hackers from 6 countries building 27 projects. Winners included Pacto (P2P stablecoin exchange), Kredible (decentralized reputation protocol), Stellar Onboarding Hub (gamified onboarding dApp), and GoLazy (challenge rewards platform).
Trustless Work participated in Casa Builders CDMX, a Stellar-hosted hackathon in Mexico focusing on financial inclusion, digital identity, and public good transparency. Their team built Pacto, a decentralized P2P stablecoin ramp using Trustless Work's programmable escrow, and won the event. The hackathon united Latin American builders, with strong Costa Rican representation.
Trustless Work participated in the Stellar Hackathon in Mexico City, hosted by the Blockchain Acceleration Foundation. Builders from five countries, including a dozen from Costa Rica, focused on accelerating stablecoin adoption in Latin America through workshops and mentorship on escrow-enabled flows. The event highlighted Latin America's growing role in programmable finance.
Keyrails, a stablecoin-based operating system for cross-border payments in emerging markets, has selected Dfns to power its wallet infrastructure. The platform supports stablecoins across multiple blockchains including Stellar, enabling programmable treasuries, fast settlements, and compliance. This partnership enhances security and scalability for high-value transactions in regions like Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Tellus Cooperative announces a July lineup of free virtual events focused on fintech, blockchain, and AI for Latin America, featuring Stellar Quest workshops and spotlights on projects like TuCambio, A0X, and Skipo. Participants can learn Stellar basics, join discussions with innovators, and win official Stellar Chile merchandise through live raffles. The events aim to build a collaborative Web3 ecosystem in the region.
Airtm, Bridge, and Stellar blockchain have integrated to enable fast, low-cost stablecoin payouts for global freelancers and gig workers. Nearly half of Airtm's stablecoin payouts now use Stellar, processing over 1.2 million transactions across seven continents since March 2024. This partnership leverages Stellar's anchor network for seamless fiat on-ramps and off-ramps, revolutionizing cross-border payroll.
This article highlights Stellar blockchain's role in revolutionizing remittances, cooperative fund management, and financial inclusion in Latin America. It showcases apps like Tempo, Vibrant, and LOBSTR enabling instant transfers, transparent records, and bankless access. Stellar is positioned as a leader in practical blockchain adoption.
The article explains blockchain security fundamentals and highlights why Stellar is ideal for fast, low-cost payments and financial inclusion. It emphasizes Stellar's support for both cryptocurrencies and fiat, with tiny transaction fees. Tellus Cooperative promotes educational events on Stellar and Web3 for Latin American communities.
May was a dynamic month for Stellar featuring major global events (Consensus in Toronto, Ledger Leaders Week in Mexico City), new DeFi adoption programs (Hana Wallet & Balanced rewards, Dogstar Protocol), and significant technical upgrades including Stellar Core's TPS nearly doubling to 2,032.
Blend is a DeFi protocol primitive on Stellar that enables permissionless creation of isolated lending pools with customizable parameters, backstop modules for risk mitigation, and BLND token governance. The article explains Blend's core components and highlights its integration with Meru wallet to provide financial inclusion for Latin American freelancers and SMEs.
Tellus Coop explains why to learn blockchain with them, emphasizing a Latin American, collective approach with real projects. They highlight practical benefits like digital governance and decentralized projects. Stellar is chosen for its efficiency, financial focus, and active ecosystem, where Tellus contributes with open-source tools.
The Stellar Community Fund Kickstart #10, held in March 2025, accelerated 32 blockchain startups from 16 countries through a five-day design sprint. 28 teams received $290,000 in XLM awards, with standout projects like Abokyh, Dayfi, and DeFarm recognized for their Stellar integrations. Participants praised the mentorship on Stellar tools, smart contracts, and GTM strategies.
Tala launched a crypto wallet pilot on Stellar's blockchain to deliver stablecoins for financial inclusion in emerging markets, particularly Latin America. The wallet emphasizes self-custody, low transaction costs, and interoperability, enabling affordable credit, remittances, and digital payments for the unbanked. Stablecoins provide stability, speed, and accessibility over traditional banking.
PaltaLabs attended BUIDL HERE conference in Puerto Rico, delivering university talks on blockchain development and participating in panels on talent pipeline and workforce preparation. The team presented Soroswap Finance and DeFindex, marking a strategic commitment to developing blockchain talent and building community across Latin America through planned workshops with Stellar Chile ambassadors.
TruBit, Latin America’s leading crypto payment platform, has integrated with MoneyGram Access™, developed by MoneyGram in collaboration with the Stellar Development Foundation. This partnership enables seamless cash-to-USDC conversions at MoneyGram locations across key LATAM markets, targeting the region's $82 billion+ remittance economy. It leverages Stellar's blockchain for efficient cross-border payments and financial inclusion.
