Stellar is a blockchain network developed for digital payments, token issuance, and international value transfer. The Stellar price prediction depends in part on the use of stablecoins, tokenized assets, smart contracts, institutional applications, and demand for the native cryptocurrency XLM.
The Stellar network makes it possible to issue and move various digital assets. These can be cryptocurrencies, but also tokens linked to traditional currencies, securities, or other financial rights. XLM is used within the network for transaction fees, minimum account reserves, and smart contract costs.
Stellar focuses explicitly on financial applications. The network is used for payments, international transfers, stablecoins, and tokenization. In 2025, Stellar processed $55.6 billion in payment volume according to the Stellar Development Foundation. At the end of that year, there was also more than $1 billion in Real World Assets on the network. These figures come from the organization behind the development of the ecosystem and must therefore be assessed as self-reported data.
In addition to the original payment functions, Stellar supports programmable smart contracts. This smart contract environment was previously known mainly under the name Soroban and enables applications within Decentralized Finance (DeFi), tokenization, and programmable payments.
The future XLM price is not determined solely by the use of the network. Many payments on Stellar can, for example, take place with stablecoins rather than XLM. For a structurally positive effect on the price, network activity must also generate sufficient demand for XLM.
In this article, we discuss the XLM price prediction for 2026 through 2030. For each year, a neutral, bullish, and bearish scenario is developed. The amounts mentioned are possible ranges and not guaranteed price targets. This information does not constitute financial advice.
On July 22, 2026, the XLM price was around $0.20, which at the time corresponded to approximately €0.17. The market cap around the same period was over $6 billion. The exact price and market cap change continuously.
The short-term prediction is strongly influenced by the general cryptocurrency market. XLM regularly moves in line with Bitcoin and other major digital assets, but can also show independent price movements due to news about stablecoins, financial institutions, or technical upgrades.
Important developments for the remaining months of 2026 include:
● growth of payments and international transfers
● use of USDC, EURC, and other stablecoins
● tokenization of financial products
● activity within Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
● adoption of Stellar smart contracts
● the development of configurable privacy
● Protocol 26 and Protocol 27
● institutional partnerships
● changes in the available XLM supply
● regulation for stablecoins and tokenized securities
● general sentiment around cryptocurrencies
Stellar is designed to move various types of digital value quickly between users and organizations. The network can process payments in XLM, stablecoins, and other issued assets.
A sender can, for example, use an asset issued on Stellar, while the recipient receives value via a different supported asset. The network has features that allow available trading pairs and liquidity to be used to enable payments between assets.
Suitability for payments is determined in part by:
● transaction fees
● processing time
● liquidity
● availability of local on- and off-ramps
● wallet support
● number of available currencies
● regulation
● ease of use
● price volatility
The official positioning of Stellar focuses on fast payments, financial services, and tokenization. The network also supports stablecoins such as USDC and EURC.
High payment volume does not automatically mean users buy large quantities of XLM. A large portion of the value can be sent in stablecoins, while XLM is only used for small network fees and reserves.
International payments are among the most important application areas of Stellar.
Traditional cross-border payments can involve multiple banks, currency exchanges, and intermediaries. Blockchain infrastructure can automate certain steps or make them faster.
Stellar attempts to form a connection between:
● digital wallets
● financial institutions
● local currencies
● stablecoins
● bank accounts
● cash on- and off-ramps
● payment companies
The network alone does not solve every problem with international payments. Users remain dependent on liquidity, local regulation, banking connections, and parties that convert digital assets to traditional currencies.
MoneyGram uses Stellar infrastructure for services that allow users to convert supported digital assets to cash and vice versa.
In April 2026, MoneyGram and the Stellar Development Foundation announced a multi-year extension of their partnership. The partnership had then existed for more than five years.
A network of physical locations can make digital wallets more accessible to people who do not have easy access to a bank account. The economic impact on XLM depends, however, on:
● the number of active users
● the payment volume
● the assets used
● the transaction fees paid
● the amount of XLM needed for accounts and reserves
● the commercial terms of the partnership
An extended partnership does not guarantee that demand for XLM will increase proportionately.
Anchors are parties that connect traditional financial infrastructure with Stellar.
An anchor can, for example, issue a token representing a local currency. Users can deposit money, receive the corresponding digital asset, and later exchange it back.
Anchors can be responsible for:
● customer identification
● deposits
● withdrawals
● banking connections
● currency exchange
● reserve management
● regulatory compliance
The reliability of an issued asset does not depend solely on Stellar. Users are also dependent on the financial position, legal structure, and operational processes of the issuing party.
Stablecoins play an important role within the Stellar ecosystem.
USDC and EURC can be used on Stellar for payments, international transfers, and other financial services. The network thereby attempts to combine the predictability of an asset pegged to traditional currencies with blockchain settlement.
Stablecoins can increase network activity. The effect on XLM is less direct because users do not need to use XLM for the transferred value.
XLM may still be needed for:
● transaction fees
● opening and maintaining accounts
● certain trustlines
● smart contract resources
● liquidity in trading pairs
● payment of network activities by service providers
Strong growth in stablecoin payments can therefore be positive for the network without the XLM price rising in the same proportion.
In May 2026, Circle Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol became available on Stellar. With this protocol, USDC can be moved between supported blockchains via a mint-and-burn mechanism instead of via traditional wrapped tokens. The official Stellar blog mentioned its deployment in May 2026.
This integration can improve the connection between Stellar and other blockchain networks. More reach for USDC can contribute to liquidity, payments, and applications within Decentralized Finance (DeFi).
For the XLM price, the following questions are most relevant:
● how much USDC is actually moved to Stellar
● whether users remain active on Stellar
● how many transactions are executed
● how much XLM is needed for accounts and fees
● whether additional stablecoin liquidity attracts new applications
Stellar is used for the issuance of digital representations of financial assets.
Tokenization can relate to:
● investment funds
● bonds
● equities
● stablecoins
● money market funds
● commodities
● other financial rights
In 2025, the Stellar Development Foundation reported more than $1 billion in Real World Assets on the network. The organization mentioned applications by Franklin Templeton, PayPal, and other financial parties, among others.
Tokenization can increase demand for Stellar infrastructure. The effect on XLM depends on the number of active wallets, transaction frequency, required reserves, and demand for XLM for fees.
The total value of tokenized assets is not revenue for Stellar and does not represent value that automatically flows to XLM holders.
Real World Assets are digital tokens that refer to holdings, claims, or rights outside the blockchain.
The blockchain can record ownership transfers and transactions, but does not independently determine whether the underlying legal rights are enforceable.
With Real World Assets, one must consider, among other things:
● the issuer
● the custodian of underlying assets
● legal documentation
● repayment rights
● geographic restrictions
● licenses
● liquidity
● information provision
Growth of Real World Assets on Stellar can increase network activity. It remains possible that most of the economic value is in the issued tokens rather than in XLM.
Stellar supports smart contracts that allow developers to build programmable financial applications.
This infrastructure can be used for:
● decentralized exchanges
● loans
● liquidity pools
● tokenized assets
● automatic payments
● escrow arrangements
● wallets with programmable authorization
● Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
The smart contract environment uses Rust and WebAssembly. Developers can combine contracts with Stellar's existing payment and asset functions.
Smart contract transactions pay resource fees in addition to an inclusion fee. These costs are paid in XLM and depend on the network resources used.
Smart contracts can allow a broader ecosystem for Decentralized Finance (DeFi) to develop on Stellar.
Possible applications include:
● borrowing and lending
● liquidity provision
● stablecoins
● decentralized trading
● yield strategies
● tokenized funds
● automated asset management
Stellar published examples of composability between smart contract applications in 2025 and mentioned support for, among other things, fungible tokens, Real World Assets, and digital vaults.
Growth of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) can create demand for XLM through transaction fees, reserves, liquidity, and collateral. On the other side stand smart contract risks, liquidity risks, and competition from larger ecosystems.
Protocol 23, named Whisk, was activated on the Stellar mainnet in September 2025. The upgrade introduced, among other things, changes for smart contract events and state archival.
Protocol 24 followed as a stability upgrade. Such upgrades are important because smart contracts place greater demands on data storage, processing, and developer tools.
Technical improvements can contribute to:
● lower development barriers
● better scalability
● more reliable smart contracts
● more efficient data management
● new applications
A protocol upgrade does not guarantee that developers or users will switch to Stellar.
Protocol 25, named X-Ray, laid a technical foundation for applications with zero-knowledge cryptography.
The Stellar Development Foundation positions this development as configurable privacy. Applications could thereby shield certain information while simultaneously supporting compliance functions.
Privacy can be important for financial institutions. Organizations often do not want customer data, trading strategies, or transaction amounts to be fully public.
At the same time, they must be able to comply with rules regarding:
● customer identification
● anti-money laundering
● sanctions
● market supervision
● reporting
● data protection
The success of configurable privacy depends on technical reliability, developer tools, acceptance by regulators, and the number of applications that actually use the features.
In June 2026, Stellar published a developer preview of Confidential Tokens. This development builds on the zero-knowledge functionality of earlier protocol upgrades.
Confidential Tokens can be relevant for institutions when transaction data may not be fully public. Possible applications include tokenized securities, business payments, and regulated digital assets.
The development is not automatically in full commercial production. For the price, it is important whether the technology:
● becomes available on mainnet
● is used by developers
● passes security reviews
● attracts institutional applications
● generates sufficient network activity
In 2026, Stellar continued working on Protocol 26 and Protocol 27. The official blog named Protocol 26 Yardstick and Protocol 27 Zipper.
Protocol upgrades can improve performance, privacy, security, and developer experience. Validators must ultimately agree to protocol changes before they are activated on the network.
For investors, it is important to distinguish between:
● an announced proposal
● a developer preview
● a testnet implementation
● a validator vote
● mainnet activation
● actual usage
Announcing a new technical feature alone does not automatically create economic demand for XLM.
The Stellar Development Foundation introduced a plan in June 2026 to prepare the network for future risks from quantum computers.
Quantum computers do not pose a proven immediate threat to all existing blockchain transactions in the short term. Preparing migration paths can, however, be relevant for infrastructure that wants to support financial assets for a long time.
Key components include:
● research into new signing methods
● wallet compatibility
● account migration
● validator support
● protection of older addresses
● coordination with institutions
A preparedness plan does not mean the risk is fully resolved.
Stellar does not use Proof of Work or traditional Proof of Stake to process transactions.
The Stellar Consensus Protocol uses a federated consensus model. Validators themselves choose which other validators they consider relevant for consensus. Overlapping trust relationships are intended to ensure the network reaches agreement.
As a result, no miners are needed and no new XLM is issued as a block reward.
The model has different risks than Proof of Work or Proof of Stake. Relevant questions include:
● how many validators are active
● which organizations manage validators
● how quorum sets are composed
● how much overlap exists
● whether critical validators fail
● geographic and organizational distribution
Low energy use does not automatically mean the consensus model is free of centralization or availability risks.
Validators verify transactions and participate in consensus.
They do not receive an automatic XLM reward for running a validator. Organizations may manage a validator because they depend on the network and want to contribute to its availability.
This prevents direct issuance of new tokens as validator rewards. It can also mean that the economic incentive to manage an independent validator is less direct.
Stellar's decentralization therefore also depends on the number of parties that voluntarily continue to maintain infrastructure.
Stellar typically closes ledgers within a few seconds. The documentation describes that the ledger close time is deliberately limited to a few seconds and that transactions therefore cannot use unlimited resources.
Fast finality can be useful for payments and trading. The experienced speed also depends on:
● the wallet used
● checks by service providers
● fiat processing
● liquidity
● compliance checks
● outages
● network load
A blockchain transaction can be final within a few seconds, while a withdrawal to a bank account takes longer.
All transaction fees on Stellar are paid with XLM.
A regular transaction includes an inclusion fee. Smart contract transactions can additionally contain resource fees for the computing power, storage, and other network resources used.
The standard base fee is low. In Stellar Lab, a standard base fee of 100 stroops is used for a regular transaction, where one stroop is a very small fraction of one XLM. During network congestion, users can offer a higher fee.
Low costs support usability, but also mean that many transactions create only limited direct demand for XLM.
For a noticeable economic effect, the following may therefore be needed:
● very large numbers of transactions
● more smart contract usage
● more active accounts
● higher resource consumption
● XLM as a liquidity asset
● long-term holding by users
Stellar accounts must hold a minimum amount of XLM.
The required reserve can increase when an account contains more components, such as trustlines, offers, or other ledger entries. The exact reserve is determined by network parameters over which validators vote.
This reserve requirement helps limit spam and unnecessary ledger growth. It also creates demand for XLM when new accounts and assets are created.
Service providers can sponsor certain reserves for users. As a result, not every end user needs to directly hold XLM themselves.
XLM has several functions within Stellar:
● payment of transaction fees
● minimum account reserves
● smart contract costs
● possible liquidity asset
● intermediate asset in certain payments
● tradable cryptocurrency
XLM does not confer ownership rights in the Stellar Development Foundation. Holders receive no dividend and have no automatic right to revenues from organizations using the network.
The price is determined by supply and demand on trading platforms.
At the start of Stellar, 100 billion XLM were created. The network initially had annual supply inflation.
In 2019, the inflation mechanism was ended by a protocol change. A large portion of the tokens managed by the Stellar Development Foundation was also destroyed. This reduced the total supply to approximately 50 billion XLM.
No new XLM are issued via mining or staking. Transaction fees are not distributed as rewards to validators, but disappear into a fee pool. The native token therefore has a different issuance model than Proof of Work and Proof of Stake assets.
Not all existing XLM are freely tradable. A portion is managed by the Stellar Development Foundation and can, according to its mandate, be used for ecosystem development and other activities.
The Stellar Development Foundation manages a portion of the total XLM supply.
These tokens can be used, among other things, for:
● ecosystem support
● investments
● grants
● user growth
● operational activities
● network development
Issuance from these positions can contribute to adoption, but can also increase the circulating supply and potential selling pressure.
When analyzing the price, one must therefore look at:
● how much XLM the organization manages
● planned distributions
● tokens actually released
● sales
● grants
● lock-ups
● transparency reports
A fixed total supply does not mean the freely tradable supply remains constant.
XLM cannot be natively staked to secure the Stellar Consensus Protocol.
Parties that offer returns on XLM therefore do so via a separate financial product, lending arrangement, liquidity pool, or other service. This brings additional counterparty, liquidity, or smart contract risks.
The absence of native staking means that no large portion of the XLM supply is locked up via the consensus mechanism. It also prevents annual token issuance for staking rewards.
Stellar is often compared to XRP because both networks focus on payments and international value transfer.
There are important differences in:
● consensus
● token distribution
● governance
● technical architecture
● institutional strategy
● smart contract capabilities
● ecosystem
● organizational structure
XRP's performance can influence market sentiment around payment-oriented cryptocurrencies. Stellar must, however, independently attract users, liquidity, and applications.
Various blockchains compete for stablecoin payments and tokenized assets.
Stellar competes on, among other things:
● transaction costs
● finality
● liquidity
● wallet availability
● stablecoin support
● institutional integrations
● programmability
● privacy
● compliance
● developer tools
Networks with larger Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ecosystems can attract more liquidity and developers. Stellar attempts to differentiate itself with financial infrastructure, payments, and built-in asset functionality.
Stellar reported applications and developments around Franklin Templeton, PayPal, and Visa in 2025, among others.
Institutional names can increase attention for the network. Not every announcement, however, has the same economic significance.
A distinction must be made between:
● research
● a pilot
● a limited integration
● availability of an asset
● production use
● recurring transaction volume
● structural revenues for service providers
An institution can use Stellar without holding large quantities of XLM for an extended period.
The Stellar price prediction for 2026 is determined by a combination of technical development and actual network adoption.
In 2026, the ecosystem expanded features around smart contracts, cross-chain USDC, privacy, and institutional tokenization. At the same time, the XLM price in July remained well below the all-time high from 2018.
A low price relative to a previous peak does not automatically mean XLM is undervalued. The circulating supply, competition, and economic demand for the token have changed since 2018.
In the neutral scenario, Stellar continues to grow as infrastructure for payments, stablecoins, and tokenized assets. Economic demand for XLM increases only gradually.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Neutral
€0.13
€0.19
€0.28
In this scenario, the price remains near the July 2026 level. Positive news about protocol upgrades and institutional applications temporarily drives higher prices, but does not yet lead to a sustained breakthrough.
The following developments support this scenario:
● stable payment activity
● growth of stablecoins
● more smart contract applications
● continuation of the MoneyGram partnership
● gradual growth of Real World Assets
● limited growth of the circulating supply
● mixed market sentiment
The low transaction fees simultaneously limit how much direct demand each transaction creates for XLM.
In the bullish scenario, usage of Stellar grows faster than expected. Tokenized financial products, stablecoins, and international payments attract new users.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Bullish
€0.27
€0.43
€0.68
The price in this scenario can be supported by:
● strong growth in payment volume
● more USDC and EURC liquidity
● successful deployment of Circle CCTP
● growth of Real World Assets
● institutional production environments
● rising smart contract usage
● growth of Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
● declining available XLM on trading platforms
● a positive cryptocurrency market
The upper bound of €0.68 brings XLM close to the all-time high zone in euros. This likely requires more than just new partnerships. The market must also expect usage to lead to structural demand for XLM.
In the bearish scenario, adoption falls short of expectations and the general cryptocurrency market weakens.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Bearish
€0.06
€0.10
€0.16
The price can fall when:
● payment volume decreases
● institutional projects remain limited to pilots
● stablecoins mainly grow on other blockchains
● smart contract liquidity remains low
● more XLM enters circulation
● regulation delays tokenization
● technical upgrades are delayed
● Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies decline
Stellar can continue to function as a network while the XLM price falls. Network availability and market value are different metrics.
With Stellar, it is important to distinguish between adoption of the network and demand for XLM.
A payment of €1,000 in USDC can be processed via Stellar while only a very small amount of XLM is needed for transaction fees. High payment volume therefore does not automatically translate into equally high demand for XLM.
Indicators that can provide more insight include:
● number of active accounts
● number of daily transactions
● total payment value
● stablecoin supply
● value of Real World Assets
● smart contract activity
● Decentralized Finance (DeFi) liquidity
● amount of XLM in reserves
● distribution by the Stellar Development Foundation
● trading volume
● liquidity on trading platforms
● validator distribution
Some investors use Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA), whereby they purchase periodically for a fixed amount. This spreads purchases across multiple price levels. This method does not prevent XLM from declining over an extended period or the entire investment being lost.
In 2027, it may become clearer whether the technical developments of 2025 and 2026 lead to sustainable commercial use.
The market can then better assess whether Stellar is becoming a relevant infrastructure layer for stablecoins, tokenized securities, international payments, and programmable financial products.
Important questions for 2027 include:
● Is configurable privacy being used commercially?
● Are Confidential Tokens moving to production environments?
● Is the value of tokenized assets continuing to increase?
● Are financial institutions using Stellar structurally?
● Is liquidity within Decentralized Finance (DeFi) growing?
● Is more economic demand for XLM being created?
● Does the network remain sufficiently decentralized?
● How much XLM does the Stellar Development Foundation put into circulation?
In the neutral scenario, the Stellar ecosystem grows gradually. Stablecoins and tokenized assets are used more frequently, but competition remains strong.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Neutral
€0.17
€0.28
€0.42
Stellar retains a recognizable position in this scenario within international payments and institutional tokenization.
Smart contracts generate more network activity, but Stellar remains smaller than the largest Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ecosystems. The low transaction costs and the ability to sponsor reserves limit how much XLM each new user needs to hold themselves.
In the bullish scenario, Stellar is used on a larger scale for digital payments and the issuance of financial assets.
Configurable privacy makes the network more useful for institutions that do not want all transaction details to be public. Stablecoin liquidity and smart contract applications grow simultaneously.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Bullish
€0.50
€0.78
€1.18
Within this scenario, XLM can exceed its previous all-time high.
This will likely require a combination of:
● strong institutional adoption
● growth of stablecoin payments
● billions in additional tokenized assets
● many new active accounts
● growing Decentralized Finance (DeFi) liquidity
● successful use of privacy features
● less XLM on trading platforms
● limited selling pressure from large holders
● a sustained positive cryptocurrency market
A price above €1 requires a market cap of tens of billions of euros. This makes it an optimistic scenario and not a self-evident price target.
In the bearish scenario, network usage grows insufficiently to support the valuation of XLM.
Financial institutions more frequently choose private infrastructure or competing public blockchains. Stablecoin activity concentrates on networks with more liquidity.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Bearish
€0.04
€0.08
€0.15
Possible bearish factors include:
● limited demand for XLM
● slow institutional implementation
● low smart contract activity
● selling pressure from large positions
● loss of stablecoin market share
● stricter regulation
● technical issues
● concentration among validators
● a negative cryptocurrency market
In this scenario as well, Stellar can continue to process payments. The absence of native staking and the low transaction fees can mean that network usage generates only limited buying pressure for XLM.
In 2028, it may become clearer whether the technical developments of 2025 and 2026 actually lead to structural use of the Stellar network. This is not just about the number of transactions, but especially about recurring payments, active wallets, tokenized assets, and smart contract applications.
In 2025, Stellar processed $55.6 billion in payment volume according to the Stellar Development Foundation. The value of Real World Assets on the network passed $1 billion that year. In addition, the ecosystem reported more than 800 active projects and a total value within Decentralized Finance (DeFi) of over $211 million. These are figures from the organization behind the development of the Stellar ecosystem and must therefore be assessed as self-reported data.
For 2028, it is particularly important whether these applications continue to grow and create economic demand for XLM. Payments on Stellar can be executed with stablecoins or other issued tokens. For every transaction, XLM is needed, but the network fees are relatively low.
XLM is used, among other things, for transaction fees, minimum account reserves, and smart contract resources. A large increase in network activity can therefore create additional demand, but the relationship between activity and token price is not one-to-one.
In the neutral scenario, Stellar grows gradually as a network for payments, stablecoins, and tokenized financial products. The number of active projects increases, but Stellar continues to compete with larger ecosystems.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Neutral
€0.24
€0.40
€0.62
In this scenario, demand for XLM grows through:
● new accounts
● more transaction fees
● higher smart contract activity
● additional minimum reserves
● use as a liquidity asset
● more tokenized assets
● expansion of stablecoin payments
Growth remains limited, however, because service providers can sponsor transaction fees and reserves for users. Users therefore do not always need to buy or hold XLM themselves.
Additionally, a large payment volume can be processed with relatively little XLM. When a user sends USDC or EURC, for example, the stablecoin represents the majority of the economic value. XLM is used primarily for the technical processing of the transaction.
In the bullish scenario, Stellar is used more frequently for international payments and institutional tokenization. Financial parties bring new stablecoins, funds, or other digital assets to the network.
The number of smart contract applications within Decentralized Finance (DeFi) also grows. Configurable privacy makes Stellar more useful for parties that want to shield certain transaction data without excluding all forms of oversight.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Bullish
€0.95
€1.45
€2.20
Within this scenario, XLM has already exceeded its previous all-time high.
Possible drivers include:
● strong growth in stablecoin payments
● institutional use of tokenized assets
● more active accounts
● higher smart contract fees
● growth of Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
● more liquidity in XLM trading pairs
● limited selling pressure from large holders
● a declining available supply on trading platforms
● a positive cryptocurrency market
A price above €2 requires a market cap of tens of billions of euros. For that, the market must value XLM not only as a token for low transaction fees, but also as an important liquidity and reserve asset within the Stellar ecosystem.
In the bearish scenario, growth lags. Stablecoins and tokenized assets are issued primarily on other blockchains, while Stellar's smart contract ecosystem fails to attract sufficient liquidity.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Bearish
€0.03
€0.065
€0.12
The price in this scenario can come under pressure due to:
● limited demand for XLM
● slow growth of active accounts
● little institutional production use
● declining trading volume
● sales or distribution from large positions
● competition from other payment networks
● low liquidity within Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
● technical issues
● stricter regulation
● a negative cryptocurrency market
In this scenario, Stellar can continue to function technically. Due to the low network fees, continued use does not need to generate sufficient buying pressure to support the XLM price.
In 2029, the market can better assess whether Stellar has secured a fixed position within international payments and digital capital markets.
An important question is whether institutions actually use blockchain infrastructure for recurring transactions. A pilot, developer test, or announced partnership has less economic significance than daily production use.
Stellar can in 2029 be used, among other things, for:
● cross-border payments
● corporate treasury transactions
● stablecoins
● digital investment funds
● tokenized bonds
● programmable payments
● on-chain credit
● regulated digital assets
The network has technical features for asset issuance, payments, and smart contracts. The value for XLM holders depends on the demand these applications create for the native token.
In the neutral scenario, Stellar continues to grow without dominating the market. The network processes more stablecoins and tokenized assets, but various competing blockchains also grow.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Neutral
€0.32
€0.54
€0.82
XLM can approach its previous record zone during positive market periods. A sustained breakthrough remains dependent on further economic demand.
In this scenario, XLM is used for:
● account reserves
● transaction fees
● smart contract resources
● liquidity
● trading
● certain intermediary payments
The low costs remain an important advantage for users. For the valuation of XLM, this simultaneously means that very large numbers of transactions may be needed to cause strong direct demand for the token.
In the bullish scenario, Stellar becomes an important public infrastructure layer for stablecoins and tokenized financial products.
Various financial institutions use the network in production environments. Tokenized funds and payment assets are actively traded, while international payment companies integrate Stellar into their services.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Bullish
€1.70
€2.60
€3.90
Such a valuation likely requires:
● large amounts of tokenized assets
● structural institutional transaction volume
● growth of stablecoins on Stellar
● more smart contract activity
● rising Decentralized Finance (DeFi) liquidity
● broad support by wallets and financial applications
● increasing use of XLM as a liquidity asset
● limited growth of the freely tradable supply
● a positive global cryptocurrency market
Configurable privacy can contribute to this scenario. The Confidential Tokens announced in June 2026 were still in a developer preview at that time and were not yet intended for production use with real financial assets. For a positive long-term effect, these applications must pass security reviews and actually be used.
In the bearish scenario, Stellar fails sufficiently to attract new liquidity and users.
Financial institutions choose private blockchains, traditional databases, or competing public networks. Existing applications remain active but generate little additional demand for XLM.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Bearish
€0.025
€0.055
€0.10
Possible causes include:
● declining market share in stablecoins
● low smart contract activity
● little growth of Real World Assets
● concentration of payment volume at a few parties
● distribution of large quantities of XLM
● insufficient independent validators
● regulatory issues
● security incidents
● limited developer activity
● prolonged negative market sentiment
A low token price does not directly need to lead to higher transaction fees. Stellar's technical operation can therefore continue even when the market value of XLM falls sharply.
By 2030, Stellar can be an established infrastructure layer for digital payments and tokenized assets. It is also possible that other networks have captured a larger share of this market.
The outcome depends in part on the development of stablecoins, international regulation, institutional blockchain adoption, and the position of public networks within the financial system.
An important question is whether users and institutions in 2030 need one open network on which payments, tokenization, and programmable financial products are combined.
Stellar can offer advantages here through:
● fast transaction processing
● low costs
● built-in asset support
● smart contracts
● stablecoin infrastructure
● on- and off-ramps
● configurable privacy
● support for regulated applications
On the other side stand dependencies. Stablecoins and tokenized assets remain linked to issuers, custodians, banks, legal structures, and regulatory conditions.
In the neutral scenario, Stellar remains a relevant but not dominant financial blockchain network.
The network is used by payment companies, financial institutions, and developers. The number of transactions and active accounts grows, but much economic activity takes place in stablecoins and other issued assets.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Neutral
€0.42
€0.70
€1.05
Within this scenario, XLM can exceed its previous all-time high during a positive market period.
For an average price of €0.70, the following will likely be needed:
● the number of active accounts continues to grow
● tokenized assets are traded more frequently
● stablecoin payments increase
● smart contracts use more network resources
● XLM retains sufficient liquidity
● the circulating supply does not grow too quickly
● the broader cryptocurrency market remains positive
The value of all assets on Stellar does not need to grow in line with the market value of XLM. A tokenized fund of €1 billion, for example, does not represent an investment of €1 billion in XLM.
In the bullish scenario, Stellar becomes a widely used infrastructure layer for cross-border payments, stablecoins, and digital capital markets.
Financial institutions use public blockchain infrastructure on a large scale. XLM plays a larger role as a reserve, liquidity, and network asset.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Bullish
€2.80
€4.20
€6.50
This is an exceptionally optimistic scenario.
A price of €6.50 would, depending on the circulating supply in 2030, potentially require a market cap of well above €100 billion. For that, Stellar must be among the largest blockchain networks in the world.
Possible conditions include:
● hundreds of billions in annual payment volume
● strong growth of tokenized financial assets
● broad institutional production adoption
● many active smart contract applications
● large Decentralized Finance (DeFi) liquidity
● commercial use of Confidential Tokens
● growing demand for XLM as an intermediate asset
● structural decrease of available XLM on trading platforms
● limited selling pressure from large holders
● favorable regulation
● a very positive market cycle
The bullish scenario requires the economic function of XLM to grow beyond just paying low transaction fees.
In the bearish scenario, Stellar remains an operational network with a limited economic position.
Most stablecoin and tokenization activities take place on other blockchains or closed financial networks. XLM is still traded and used for network functions, but attracts little new investment demand.
Scenario
Minimum price
Average price
Maximum price
Bearish
€0.02
€0.045
€0.09
Possible bearish developments include:
● loss of institutional partnerships
● declining stablecoin liquidity
● low network revenues
● limited smart contract adoption
● strong competition
● a large available XLM supply
● selling pressure from large holders
● validator concentration
● stricter rules
● a prolonged negative cryptocurrency market
A price below €0.10 does not mean Stellar is no longer technically used. Due to the low costs, the network can continue to process transactions without the market value of XLM being proportionately high.
The XLM price is determined by supply and demand on trading platforms. Network usage can influence demand, but is only one component of valuation.
Other important factors are the circulating supply, the position of the Stellar Development Foundation, stablecoin adoption, institutional tokenization, smart contract usage, regulation, and general market sentiment.
XLM is the native asset of Stellar and is used for:
● transaction fees
● minimum account reserves
● smart contract resources
● smart contract storage costs
● liquidity
● trading
● certain payments and exchange routes
All transaction fees on Stellar are paid in XLM. Smart contract transactions can contain resource fees in addition to an inclusion fee, depending on the computing power and storage used.
An increase in network usage can therefore create additional demand for XLM. Due to the low costs, demand per individual transaction may remain limited.
Stellar is designed for payments and international value transfer.
Higher payment volume can demonstrate that the network is actually being used. The economic significance for XLM depends on the assets used and the amount of XLM that users or service providers must hold.
Payments can be made in:
● XLM
● USDC
● EURC
● other stablecoins
● local digital currencies
● tokenized financial assets
When stablecoins are primarily used, the Stellar network benefits from the activity without the full payment value being converted into demand for XLM.
The number of transactions is an important activity indicator.
An increase can come from:
● consumer payments
● business payments
● trading activity
● smart contracts
● liquidity management
● asset issuers
● wallet movements
● automated transactions
Not every transaction represents a unique user or a commercial payment. An application can automatically execute many small transactions.
The transaction count must therefore be combined with payment volume, active accounts, and smart contract usage.
A Stellar account must contain sufficient XLM to meet the minimum reserve requirements.
New accounts can thereby create structural demand for XLM. The reserve can increase when the account uses additional components, such as trustlines or trading offers.
Service providers can sponsor reserves for users. This means not every user needs to buy XLM themselves.
For the price, the following are important, among other things:
● the number of new accounts
● the number of active accounts
● the average XLM reserve
● the number of sponsored accounts
● the number of dormant accounts
● the amount of XLM in long-term reserves
Want to buy Stellar? At Coinmerce you can easily buy, sell, and store XLM with euros. Search for Stellar in the current offering, choose the amount you want to invest, and review the order details before confirming your purchase.
Always check the current XLM price, transaction fees, and product specifications in advance. The availability of cryptocurrencies may change in the future.
Only invest money you can afford to lose. Cryptocurrencies remain volatile and the value of Stellar can both rise and fall. The information on this page is intended solely for educational purposes and does not constitute financial advice.