Stellar launches Meridian Pay smart wallet; Hedera updates Swift SDK; stablecoin growth continues

What Shipped

Today’s update brings a mix of exciting developments and market movements in the blockchain space, especially focusing on Ripple, Stellar, Hedera, Flare Network, and XDC Network. Let’s start with some fresh product news and improvements:

• Meridian Pay: A Scalable Smart Wallet on Stellar launched, offering users a new way to handle digital assets with easy-to-use features built on the Stellar blockchain.
• Stellar also highlighted creative uses of smart contracts and NFTs at the Meridian 2025 event, showing how art and blockchain technology are blending.
• A new case study on $100M to $1 Stablecoin Issuance on Brale was published, demonstrating how stablecoins can be issued at scale on Stellar’s network.
• Hedera announced support for Swift 6 in its Hiero Swift SDK, which means developers can now build iOS apps more smoothly using the latest Swift programming language features. This was covered in their official blog.
• Hedera also shared highlights from January 2026, including updates on partnerships and developer tools, and showcased their presence at the Davos 2026 forum, emphasizing efforts to build trust in digital systems.
• Chainlink published informative articles explaining how blockchain technology improves cross-border payments and how their oracle services help stablecoin issuers grow securely.
• On the market front, some big headlines include Bitcoin ETFs holding steady despite a recent price drop and Tether acquiring a significant stake in Gold.com to expand tokenized gold offerings.

Why It Matters

Understanding these updates helps investors and newcomers see how blockchain projects are evolving beyond just price movements. Here’s why these developments are important:

• Smart wallets and NFTs on Stellar: These innovations make blockchain more accessible and useful for everyday users. Smart wallets manage your cryptocurrencies and tokens in a secure, user-friendly way, while NFTs (non-fungible tokens) open new possibilities for digital art and collectibles.
• Stablecoin issuance: Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value, usually pegged to a currency like the US dollar. Scalable issuance on networks like Stellar means more reliable and efficient digital money for global use.
• Developer tools and SDKs: By supporting the latest programming languages and tools, projects like Hedera make it easier for developers to create cutting-edge apps, which drives more innovation and adoption.
• Cross-border payments: Blockchain can speed up and reduce the cost of sending money internationally, a major improvement over traditional banking systems that are often slow and expensive.
• Market resilience: Despite recent price drops, Bitcoin ETFs (exchange-traded funds) showing stability suggests growing maturity in crypto investment products, which can attract more institutional investors.

Builders’ Corner

If you’re a developer or blockchain enthusiast, here are some concrete ways to engage with the ecosystem right now:

• Explore Meridian Pay: Check out the new smart wallet on Stellar and consider how you might build apps or services that integrate with it to offer users seamless crypto experiences.
• Experiment with NFTs: Use Stellar’s smart contracts to create your own NFTs, whether for art, music, or digital collectibles. The Meridian 2025 event showcased innovative ideas that can inspire your projects.
• Use Hedera’s Swift 6 SDK: If you’re developing iOS apps, take advantage of Hedera’s updated software development kit (SDK) to build blockchain-enabled applications that run smoothly on Apple devices.
• Learn about stablecoin issuance: The Brale stablecoin case study offers insights into how to issue and manage stablecoins at scale. This knowledge is valuable for anyone interested in digital finance.
• Follow Chainlink’s oracle solutions: Oracles connect blockchains to real-world data. Chainlink’s posts explain how these systems support stablecoins and payments, a good resource for developers working on DeFi (decentralized finance) projects.

Quick Prices

Here’s a quick snapshot of some key crypto prices as of February 5, 2026, 21:02 ET:

Note: The market is experiencing a broad dip, but this is common in crypto’s natural cycles. Long-term growth often follows these corrections.

What to Watch

Looking ahead, here are some key areas and events to keep an eye on:

• Continued development of smart wallets and DeFi tools: Projects like Meridian Pay could expand to support more features, making blockchain easier for everyday users.
• Stablecoin adoption and regulation: As stablecoins become more popular, watch for new partnerships, regulatory news, and innovations that improve their safety and usability.
• Blockchain in cross-border payments: Improvements here could disrupt traditional money transfer services, benefiting users worldwide with faster and cheaper options.
• Institutional investment trends: Bitcoin ETFs and other crypto funds are indicators of how big investors view the market; their behavior can influence prices and adoption.
• Developer ecosystem growth: Updates to tools like Hedera’s SDK and Chainlink’s oracle services will empower builders to create more advanced and user-friendly blockchain applications.

TL;DR: Despite a recent dip in prices across major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, and Stellar, the blockchain space continues to advance with exciting new products and developer tools. Stellar’s launch of Meridian Pay smart wallet and innovations in NFTs show growing real-world use cases. Hedera’s support for the latest Swift programming language boosts app development. Stablecoins on Stellar and Chainlink’s oracle services highlight ongoing improvements in digital finance. Keep an eye on how these projects evolve, as they bring blockchain technology closer to everyday users and investors.