What Shipped
Welcome to your friendly update on the latest happenings in the blockchain space for February 18, 2026. Let’s start with some exciting developments from a handful of promising projects: Ripple, Stellar, Hedera Hashgraph, Flare Network, and XDC Network. These organizations continue to push blockchain technology forward with new tools, partnerships, and improvements designed to make digital payments and smart contracts more efficient and accessible.
Here are some highlights from recent news:
- Stellar released their End of Year 2025 Report, emphasizing how they’ve successfully executed projects at scale, improving the network’s reach and performance.
- Stellar also launched IRL × Stellar, an initiative bringing cultural experiences onto the blockchain “invisibly,” meaning users can enjoy these benefits without complex technical steps.
- Developers working with Stellar have new tools, such as the RISC Zero Verifier, which helps verify smart contract execution securely and efficiently.
- Hedera Hashgraph announced that FedEx has joined the Hedera Council, a group of global organizations helping govern the network. This partnership aims to enhance digital supply chains worldwide by leveraging Hedera’s fast and secure blockchain technology. Read more here.
- Hedera is also supporting the new x402 payment standard, designed to improve digital payments across different platforms.
Why It Matters
Blockchain technology is often praised for its potential to make financial transactions faster, cheaper, and more transparent. But these recent updates show how real-world companies and developers are making these benefits a reality.
For example, FedEx joining the Hedera Council means a major global logistics company is betting on blockchain to improve how goods move around the world. This could mean faster deliveries and less paperwork in the future.
Stellar’s work on “bringing culture onchain” might sound abstract, but it’s about embedding real-world experiences and value into digital assets, making blockchain more useful and engaging for everyday users.
Additionally, the improvements in smart contract verification with Stellar’s RISC Zero Verifier help developers build safer and more reliable applications. Smart contracts are self-executing agreements coded on the blockchain, and verifying their correctness is crucial to avoid costly mistakes.
Builders’ Corner
If you’re interested in the technical side or considering building on these platforms, here are some pointers:
- Stellar Developers: Check out the new RISC Zero Verifier tool to increase the security and trustworthiness of your smart contracts. This can help you build dApps (decentralized applications) that users feel safe using.
- Hedera Network: Explore how the x402 payment standard can simplify payments across different systems. If you’re developing payment solutions, this standard could make integration easier and improve user experience.
- Ripple and XDC Network: Both continue to focus on cross-border payments and enterprise blockchain solutions. Keep an eye on their developer portals for updates that can help you tap into global financial networks.
- Flare Network: While smaller in market size, Flare continues to innovate with smart contract capabilities for non-Ethereum tokens, opening new possibilities for asset interoperability.
Quick Prices
Here’s a snapshot of some key cryptocurrency prices as of early February 18, 2026 (all prices in USD):
- Bitcoin (BTC): $68,102, almost unchanged in the last 24 hours (+0.6%)
- Ethereum (ETH): $2,014.55, up nearly 2% in the last day
- Ripple (XRP): $1.49, rising about 1.8%
- Stellar (XLM): $0.168, up 1.26%
- Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR): $0.101, increasing 1.47%
- Flare Network (FLR): $0.0096, up 0.31%
- XDC Network (XDCE): $0.037, rising 0.32%
These price movements show steady interest and growth in blockchain assets, especially among projects focused on real-world use cases like payments and supply chains.
What to Watch
Looking ahead, here are some areas to keep an eye on:
- Ripple and Stellar’s cross-border payment innovations: As these projects improve their networks, they could significantly reduce the cost and time of sending money internationally.
- Hedera’s expanding partnerships: With companies like FedEx joining, watch for new applications of blockchain in logistics and supply chain management.
- Smart contract security tools: The adoption of verification tools like Stellar’s RISC Zero Verifier will be important for building trust in decentralized applications.
- Integration of new payment standards: The x402 standard supported by Hedera may become a key part of how digital payments are handled globally.
- Market trends: Bitcoin recently faced resistance around the $70,000 mark, signaling potential volatility. Keep an eye on major cryptocurrencies’ price movements to understand broader market sentiment.
Also of interest is the recent move of Zora, a platform for trading internet trends, onto the Solana blockchain, showing how blockchain is expanding beyond finance into cultural and social areas.
TL;DR: Blockchain projects like Stellar, Hedera, Ripple, Flare, and XDC are making great strides in improving payments, smart contracts, and supply chains. New tools and partnerships, including FedEx joining Hedera, highlight growing real-world adoption. Cryptocurrency prices remain steady with positive momentum. For newcomers and investors, these developments signal a maturing industry with increasing practical use cases.
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