Rank #22
Last updated: 2/13/2026, 8:39:29 AM · Data from CoinGecko
As of January 2026, Stellar (XLM) is trading at $0.155574, reflecting a -2.03% decline in the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency maintains its position as the 22nd largest digital asset by market capitalization with a total valuation of $5.09 billion. Despite recent short-term volatility, XLM has demonstrated relative resilience with a modest +0.84% gain over the past seven days, suggesting consolidation after significant price movements in late 2025.
The 30-day performance shows a substantial -36.47% correction, indicating a cooling period following previous rallies. This retracement has brought XLM closer to key support levels that technical analysts are monitoring closely. With 32.75 billion XLM tokens in circulation and no maximum supply cap, the inflationary tokenomics continue to influence long-term price dynamics. The current price represents an 82.23% decline from its all-time high of $0.875563, while remaining significantly elevated from its all-time low of $0.00047612. Trading volume stands at $94.66 million over the past 24 hours, indicating moderate market participation as investors assess Stellar’s position within the evolving cross-border payments landscape and its competition with both traditional financial systems and emerging blockchain solutions.
From a technical perspective, Stellar’s current price action in early 2026 suggests a consolidation phase following the significant drawdown experienced throughout December 2025. The cryptocurrency is testing critical support around the $0.150 psychological level, which has historically served as an inflection point for price reversals. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has moved out of oversold territory, currently hovering in neutral range, indicating that selling pressure may be exhausting.
Volume analysis reveals declining participation during the recent downturn, which often precedes trend reversals. The 50-day moving average at approximately $0.168 represents immediate resistance, while the 200-day moving average near $0.195 serves as a longer-term target for bullish scenarios. Chart patterns suggest XLM is forming a potential descending wedge, which typically resolves to the upside. However, confirmation would require a decisive break above $0.175 with increasing volume. The cryptocurrency’s correlation with Bitcoin remains moderate at approximately 0.65, meaning XLM maintains some independent price action while still being influenced by broader crypto market sentiment. On-chain metrics show steady network activity with daily active addresses maintaining baseline levels despite price weakness.
Price predictions are speculative and based on technical analysis, fundamental developments, and market conditions. Cryptocurrency investments carry significant risk.
Looking ahead through 2026, Stellar’s price trajectory will largely depend on several critical factors including adoption of its payment network, regulatory developments in the cross-border payments sector, and overall cryptocurrency market conditions. Based on current technical patterns and fundamental analysis, analysts project multiple scenarios for XLM’s performance throughout the year.
Target Range: $0.28 – $0.45
In an optimistic scenario, Stellar could experience significant appreciation if key catalysts materialize. The anticipated integration of blockchain payment rails by major financial institutions in 2026 could drive substantial demand for XLM as a bridge currency. If the Stellar Development Foundation successfully expands partnerships with remittance providers and central banks exploring digital currencies, increased network utilization could create upward price pressure. Technical breakout above $0.185 resistance with sustained volume would target the $0.28 level initially, with momentum potentially carrying prices toward $0.45 by Q4 2026, representing a 189% gain from current levels.
Target Range: $0.18 – $0.25
The moderate scenario anticipates gradual recovery as Stellar continues to build its ecosystem throughout 2026. Steady adoption in emerging markets for cross-border payments, combined with improved cryptocurrency market sentiment following expected regulatory clarity in major jurisdictions, could support a measured climb. This scenario projects XLM trading between $0.18 and $0.25 for most of 2026, representing 15-60% upside from current levels. This range aligns with historical resistance zones and reflects incremental progress in Stellar’s mission without transformative catalysts.
Target Range: $0.10 – $0.14
In a risk-off environment, XLM could face continued pressure if broader cryptocurrency markets experience prolonged weakness or if competing payment networks capture market share. Regulatory headwinds affecting cryptocurrency payment systems or failure to achieve anticipated partnership milestones could result in tests of the $0.14 support zone, with potential breakdown toward $0.10 representing a 36% decline. This scenario would likely coincide with Bitcoin testing lower support levels and general risk-asset aversion in traditional markets.
Key Catalysts to Monitor in 2026: Implementation of Stellar-based CBDC pilots, MoneyGram partnership expansion metrics, institutional adoption announcements, regulatory frameworks for cross-border crypto payments, competition from Ripple and traditional SWIFT alternatives, and overall cryptocurrency market liquidity conditions. Network growth metrics including daily active users, transaction volumes, and smart contract deployment on Soroban will serve as leading indicators for price performance.
Stellar is an open-source, decentralized blockchain network designed to facilitate fast, low-cost cross-border transactions and connect financial institutions, payment systems, and individuals globally. Founded in 2014 by Jed McCaleb (co-founder of Ripple) and Joyce Kim, Stellar aims to increase financial inclusion by making money transfer as easy as sending an email, particularly targeting underserved populations in developing economies.
The network uses its native cryptocurrency, Lumens (XLM), as a bridge currency to facilitate multi-currency transactions and prevent spam on the network. Each transaction requires a small fee of 0.00001 XLM, making Stellar one of the most cost-effective blockchain networks for payments. The Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP) enables the network to process thousands of transactions per second with confirmation times of 3-5 seconds, far outpacing traditional banking systems and many competing blockchains.
Key features that distinguish Stellar include its built-in decentralized exchange, allowing users to trade any currency pair directly on the network, and its anchors system, where financial institutions can issue tokenized versions of fiat currencies or other assets. In 2026, Stellar continues to expand its ecosystem through the Soroban smart contracts platform, enabling developers to build decentralized applications for payments, tokenization, and DeFi while maintaining the network’s core focus on financial accessibility.
The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF), a non-profit organization, supports the network’s development and adoption. Notable partnerships include MoneyGram, Circle (USDC issuer), Franklin Templeton, and various financial institutions across Europe, Africa, and Asia. The network has processed billions of dollars in transactions and continues to play a significant role in the evolving landscape of blockchain-based payment solutions and central bank digital currency (CBDC) initiatives globally.
Cross-Border RemittancesXLM serves as a bridge currency for international money transfers, enabling near-instant settlements at minimal costs. Remittance providers leverage Stellar to offer faster, cheaper alternatives to traditional services like Western Union, particularly benefiting workers sending money to families in developing nations.
Institutional SettlementsFinancial institutions use Stellar’s network for real-time gross settlement between banks and payment processors. The network’s speed and low costs make it attractive for correspondent banking relationships and cross-border payment corridors between financial entities.
Stablecoin InfrastructureStellar hosts multiple stablecoins including USDC, enabling users to transact in dollar-denominated digital currencies. The network’s efficiency makes it ideal for stablecoin transfers, with Circle processing billions in USDC transactions on Stellar annually.
MicropaymentsThe extremely low transaction fees (0.00001 XLM) enable micropayment use cases that are economically unfeasible on other networks. Content creators, game developers, and service providers use Stellar for small-value transactions without prohibitive fee overhead.
Digital Asset IssuanceOrganizations can issue custom tokens representing any asset—fiat currencies, commodities, securities, or loyalty points—on Stellar’s network. The built-in decentralized exchange allows immediate trading of these assets against XLM or other tokens.
DeFi ApplicationsThrough the Soroban smart contracts platform launched in 2024, developers build decentralized finance applications including lending protocols, automated market makers, and yield farming platforms, expanding Stellar beyond simple payments into complex financial services.
Enterprise partnerships significantly impact XLM valuation. Collaborations with major financial institutions, payment processors, or technology companies often trigger price appreciation as they signal real-world utility and potential transaction volume increases. The MoneyGram partnership, for example, created substantial price momentum when announced. In 2026, investors closely monitor new banking partnerships, particularly in high-volume remittance corridors.
Regulatory clarity around cryptocurrency payments and cross-border transactions directly affects Stellar’s growth trajectory. Favorable regulations that classify XLM as a non-security or create clear frameworks for blockchain-based payments typically support price appreciation. Conversely, restrictive policies or regulatory uncertainty can pressure prices downward. The ongoing regulatory evolution in the United States, European Union, and Asia significantly influences investor sentiment.
Stellar competes with Ripple (XRP), traditional banking infrastructure (SWIFT), and emerging payment blockchains. Competitive dynamics, including technological advantages, partnership wins, or market share losses, influence XLM’s perceived value. Investors compare transaction costs, speed, and adoption rates across competing solutions when assessing Stellar’s long-term viability.
Fundamental network health indicators including daily active addresses, transaction volumes, total value locked in DeFi applications, and developer activity correlate with price performance. Sustained growth in these metrics demonstrates increasing utility and can support higher valuations, while declining network usage often precedes price weakness.
Bitcoin and Ethereum price movements create ripple effects throughout the cryptocurrency market. During bull markets, altcoins including XLM typically experience amplified gains, while bear markets often result in larger percentage declines for mid-cap cryptocurrencies. Market-wide liquidity conditions, institutional investment flows, and macroeconomic factors (interest rates, inflation, risk appetite) all influence XLM’s price trajectory.
Unlike cryptocurrencies with hard supply caps, Stellar’s unlimited maximum supply creates ongoing discussion about inflation pressure. However, the Stellar Development Foundation’s token distribution strategy, burn mechanisms, and circulating supply management practices impact scarcity perception. The SDF’s transparency regarding token unlocks and operational expenses helps investors model future supply dynamics.


