Stellar Ecosystem
News

Circle launched EURC, its euro-backed stablecoin, on Stellar as the third blockchain after Ethereum and Avalanche. The stablecoin enables 24/7 global transactions with low costs and near-instant settlement, with integration into aid disbursement systems and expansion by Ripio to Spain.

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.

Stellar Development Foundation made a minority investment in MoneyGram International as part of the remittance company's recent buyout, with SDF CEO Denelle Dixon joining MoneyGram's board. The partnership builds on their 2021 collaboration enabling stablecoin payments and USDC settlements on Stellar.

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.

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.

Vesseo is a wallet app built on Stellar by Sunship, Inc. (a Stellar Development Foundation subsidiary) that enables Argentines to easily purchase and hold USDC stablecoins to protect against peso inflation. The app leverages Stellar's speed, low fees, and integrations with anchors like Settle and Circle to provide a simple user experience for accessing dollar-backed value.

The Stellar Newsletter highlights upcoming events like Meridian 2023 in Madrid with Idris Elba, MoneyGram's USDC case study on Stellar, and Coinbase's integration with USDC on the network. It covers improvements to the Anchor Directory, wallet on/off-ramp integrations, Soroban infrastructure projects, and a new Soroban security bug bounty. Developer updates include proposed transaction changes and SCF submission best practices.

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.

Franklin Templeton's OnChain U.S. Government Money Fund, which uses Stellar blockchain for record-keeping, now has over $290 million in assets under management. The firm is exploring blockchain's potential to transform capital markets through tokenization and smart contracts.

Argentina's economic instability and poor official exchange rates drive citizens to seek better alternatives for currency exchange. Beans, a non-custodial wallet on the Stellar blockchain, uses stablecoins like USDC to enable tax-free, market-rate conversions between USD and ARS, often surpassing the blue dollar rate. This allows faster, cheaper cross-border transfers with added features like free transactions and interest-bearing savings.

The Stellar Development Foundation is using blockchain technology and the Stellar Disbursement Platform to deliver humanitarian cash aid at scale, enabling instant, low-cost, transparent fund transfers to aid recipients globally through digital wallets and stablecoins.

The Stellar Development Foundation outlines emerging global consensus on stablecoin regulation, highlighting core principles around transparency, reserve backing, and consumer protections that align with SDF's asset issuance framework as jurisdictions like the EU and UK advance comprehensive crypto regulatory frameworks.

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.

The Stellar Development Foundation met with UK government officials to discuss digital assets regulation, submitting a response to HM Treasury's consultation on cryptoasset frameworks and stablecoin requirements.

Franklin Templeton's OnChain U.S. Government Money Fund surpassed $270 million in assets under management on Stellar, with the Stellar Development Foundation CEO highlighting regulatory clarity as key to mainstream adoption. The fund is now accessible via the Benji Investments app.

Stellar Development Foundation launched Stellar Aid Assist, a stablecoin-based platform enabling humanitarian organizations to distribute cash aid via USDC through the Stellar network. The platform eliminates intermediaries, reduces costs to near-zero, and provides recipients secure access to funds without bank accounts, currently piloted with Ukrainian refugees.

FinClusive and Anclap launched a pilot program on Stellar demonstrating that blockchain-based remittances between the US and Colombia cost roughly half traditional methods (2.68% vs 5.36%), using stablecoins like USDC for faster, cheaper cross-border transfers.

AMA recap with MYKOBO CEO Seyi Akin-Olugbemi, issuer of the EURC Euro stablecoin on Stellar. He discusses his background in fintech, the motivation behind MYKOBO for financial inclusion in Africa, and why Stellar is ideal for value transfer. MYKOBO app supports EURC, USDC, XLM, and AQUA, all on Stellar, with upcoming liquidity pools.

Thomaz Texeira, CEO of nTokens, discusses building fintech solutions on Stellar in this founder interview. He explains how blockchain democratizes finance globally and why smart contracts will enable programmable money for underserved markets.

Coinme and the Stellar Development Foundation launched USDC on Stellar through Coinme's wallet and 40,000+ U.S. cash locations, enabling low-cost conversion between physical cash and digital dollars for financial inclusion.