What is Stellar (XLM)?
Stellar is a decentralized blockchain network launched in 2014, developed to connect global financial systems and support the creation and exchange of digital financial products. It provides a protocol for institutions and payment providers to conduct near-instant international transfers and currency exchanges.
The Stellar network facilitates cross-border payments and the tokenization of real-world assets. In 2024, Stellar implemented Protocol 20, which introduced smart contract capabilities to the network. The protocol is designed to support financial applications and improve access to digital financial services.
XLM, also known as Lumens, is the native digital currency of the Stellar network. It is used to pay for transaction fees and acts as a bridge currency that enables fast currency conversions during cross-border operations.
Stellar uses the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP), which is based on a Federated Byzantine Agreement model. This system does not rely on staking or computational power but instead depends on agreement among trusted validator nodes. Validators are required to maintain publicly verifiable identities, and the protocol is structured to prevent double-spending and maintain consistency across the network.
Stellar was founded by Jed McCaleb and Joyce Kim in 2014. McCaleb, who previously co-founded Ripple, currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer of the Stellar Development Foundation.
The total supply of XLM is capped at 50 billion tokens. As of September 2025, approximately 31.73B XLM are in circulation.
XLM is listed on Binance for trade and purchase. The current price of XLM is available and updated in real-time on Binance.