šØ $XLM : Get Ready for the X-Ray (Protocol 25) Upgrade
Stellar XLM is gearing up for its next major network upgrade - Protocol 25 (X-Ray)
Here are the key dates and what you need to know.
š Ā Key Dates
āļø Dec 15, 2025 - Stable releases available
š§Ŗ Jan 7, 2026 - Testnet upgrade
š Jan 22, 2026 - Mainnet upgrade vote
Since this falls during the holiday period, there's extra time between the release and the Testnet upgrade.
Everything is compatible with the current protocol, so upgrading early is totally safe.
š ļø Who Needs to Prepare?
If you use a Stellar SDK: Update to the latest version before the Testnet and Mainnet upgrade dates.
If you run Stellar infrastructure (Core, Horizon, RPC, Galexie): Install the Protocol 25 versions - via Docker, packages, or source builds.
If you run a validator: Be ready for the Mainnet upgrade vote on Jan 22, 2026
š Good News
X-Ray adds new cryptographic tools (BN254, Poseidon), but:
ā 100% No breaking changes.
ā 100% Fully backward compatible
šStay Updated
Follow all X-Ray announcements in the Stellar Developer Discord.
