What Shipped
Welcome to our February 7, 2026 update on some of the most exciting developments in the blockchain world! This week, several projects and organizations have made strides worth noting, especially within the ecosystems of Ripple, Stellar, Hedera, Flare Network, and XDC Network. Let’s start by highlighting some of the latest launches and announcements:
- Meridian Pay on Stellar: Stellar recently unveiled Meridian Pay, a new scalable smart wallet designed to make managing digital assets easier and more efficient. This wallet aims to simplify payments and asset management on Stellar’s fast and low-cost blockchain.
- NFTs and Smart Contracts at Meridian 2025: Stellar also showcased creative uses of smart contracts with NFTs (non-fungible tokens) during Meridian 2025. NFTs are unique digital collectibles, and Stellar’s ecosystem is exploring how these can be integrated with smart contracts to create new art and asset experiences (read more).
- Stablecoin Issuance on Brale: Another Stellar update highlights how $100 million worth of stablecoins (cryptocurrencies designed to hold steady value) were issued on Brale, a platform built on Stellar. Stablecoins are vital for reducing volatility in crypto payments (details here).
- Hedera’s Swift SDK Update: Hedera announced support for Swift 6 in their Hiero Swift Software Development Kit (SDK), improving tools for developers building applications on Hedera’s high-speed, energy-efficient network (learn more).
- Hedera at Davos 2026: Hedera’s presence at the Davos forum highlighted their ongoing work to advance digital trust, emphasizing how blockchain can create secure, transparent systems for businesses and governments (full story).
- Chainlink Insights: Chainlink published valuable articles on how blockchain technology improves cross-border payments and supports stablecoin issuers, showcasing real-world benefits of decentralized networks (read here).
Why It Matters
These updates highlight some important trends and innovations in blockchain technology that are shaping the future of finance and digital interaction.
Scalable Smart Wallets and User-Friendly Payments: Meridian Pay on Stellar represents a push towards making blockchain wallets that can handle many transactions quickly and cheaply. For newcomers and everyday users, this means easier access to digital money without the frustration of high fees or slow processing times.
NFTs and Smart Contracts: The integration of NFTs with smart contracts on Stellar shows how blockchain is expanding beyond simple currency use. Smart contracts are self-executing agreements coded into the blockchain, and combining them with NFTs opens doors for new digital art, collectibles, and even real estate or licensing applications.
Stablecoins for Stability: The $100 million stablecoin issuance on Stellar’s Brale platform points to growing trust in stablecoins as reliable tools for payments and savings. Stablecoins help bridge the gap between traditional finance and crypto by offering the best of both worlds — the security and transparency of blockchain with the stability of traditional currencies.
Developer Tools and Ecosystem Growth: Hedera’s Swift SDK update is a sign of the maturing blockchain ecosystem. Better developer tools mean more apps, more innovation, and ultimately more ways for users to benefit from decentralized technology.
Cross-Border Payments and Digital Trust: Chainlink’s insights and Hedera’s work at Davos underline the real-world impact blockchain can have. Cross-border payments, which traditionally take days and incur high fees, can become instant and affordable. Digital trust, a key challenge in today’s online world, is also strengthened through blockchain’s transparency and security.
Builders’ Corner
For developers, entrepreneurs, and curious beginners interested in building on these platforms, here are some concrete examples and opportunities:
- Try Meridian Pay: If you’re interested in wallets and payments, explore Stellar’s Meridian Pay. It’s designed to be scalable, meaning it can handle a growing number of users and transactions without slowing down.
- Experiment with Smart Contracts and NFTs: Stellar’s ecosystem supports creating your own smart contracts and NFTs. These tools can be used for digital art, collectibles, gaming, or even new business models.
- Develop on Hedera with Swift: If you’re a developer familiar with Apple’s Swift programming language, Hedera’s updated SDK makes it easier to build decentralized apps (dApps) for iOS and macOS platforms.
- Explore Stablecoin Issuance: Stablecoins are gaining importance for payments and savings. Platforms like Brale on Stellar allow users to issue their own stablecoins, which can be useful for businesses or communities looking for reliable digital currency.
- Leverage Chainlink Oracles: Chainlink’s technology connects blockchains with real-world data, essential for advanced smart contracts. Learning how to integrate oracles can open new possibilities for your blockchain projects.
Quick Prices
Here’s a snapshot of some key cryptocurrency prices as of February 7, 2026, 21:01 ET:
- Bitcoin (BTC): $69,344 (down 1.63% in last 24 hours)
- Ethereum (ETH): $2,094.63 (up 1.73%)
- Flare Network (FLR): $0.0096 (down 2.22%)
- Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR): $0.09 (down 0.54%)
- Ripple (XRP): $1.43 (down 2.52%)
- Stellar (XLM): $0.16 (down 0.35%)
- XDC Network (XDC): $0.037 (down 0.72%)
While some prices have experienced mild declines, Ethereum shows positive momentum, and the overall market remains vibrant with ongoing innovation.
What to Watch
Looking ahead, here are some key areas to keep an eye on:
- Adoption of Scalable Wallets: Will Meridian Pay’s scalable wallet attract more users and businesses looking for fast and affordable blockchain payments?
- Growth of NFTs and Smart Contracts: How will creative projects using NFTs and smart contracts evolve on Stellar and other networks?
- Stablecoin Expansion: With $100 million in stablecoins issued on Brale, watch how stablecoins impact daily transactions and international remittances.
- Developer Ecosystem Expansion: Will Hedera’s new SDK tools lead to a surge in decentralized apps, especially on Apple platforms?
- Cross-Border Payment Solutions: Blockchain’s promise to simplify and speed up payments across borders remains a hot topic — innovations here could reshape global finance.
TL;DR: Stellar is making blockchain payments easier and more creative with new smart wallets and NFT projects. Hedera improves developer tools and promotes digital trust worldwide. Stablecoins on Stellar gain traction, showing blockchain’s practical benefits. Prices fluctuate, but innovation and growth continue. Keep an eye on scalable wallets, NFTs, stablecoins, and cross-border payments as blockchain technology reshapes finance for everyone.
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