Blockchain Update: Etherfuse Onchains Sovereign Currencies; Stellar Launches Protocol 24 Upgrade

What Shipped

Exciting developments are unfolding across several blockchain projects this week, with a special spotlight on Ripple, Stellar, Hedera Hashgraph, Flare Network, and XDC Network. Among the highlights:

Etherfuse is working to bring 100 sovereign currencies onchain, aiming to make digital transactions more inclusive and globally accessible. This means national currencies could be tokenized and used on blockchain networks, opening doors for faster, cheaper cross-border payments.
Stellar has released its Protocol 24 upgrade, improving network efficiency and security. This upgrade helps Stellar maintain its reputation as a fast and affordable platform for moving money worldwide.
Stellar also announced the Stellar i³ Awards 2025, a program recognizing innovative projects building on its blockchain, encouraging developers to create impactful applications.
Chainlink shared its Q3 2025 quarterly review, highlighting its recent wins, including success in the Swift Hackathon business challenge and launching DataLink, a new service that brings institutional market data onto blockchains.
Market news includes Binance’s CEO, CZ, receiving a pardon from former U.S. President Donald Trump, a notable event for the crypto industry’s regulatory landscape.

Why It Matters

These updates show how blockchain technology is steadily integrating with real-world finance and institutional systems. For example, Etherfuse’s plan to put national currencies onchain could revolutionize how money moves globally by reducing reliance on traditional banking systems and lowering transaction costs.

The Stellar Protocol 24 upgrade is important because it keeps the network competitive and secure, which benefits users by enabling faster, cheaper transactions. Stellar’s focus on partnerships and developer incentives through its i³ Awards encourages innovation and growth in the ecosystem.

Chainlink’s progress in connecting blockchains with real-world data (oracles) is crucial for the development of smart contracts that rely on accurate external information. This enhances the usefulness of decentralized finance (DeFi) and other blockchain applications.

Finally, Binance’s CZ pardon may ease some regulatory pressures on the crypto exchange, possibly creating a more favorable environment for crypto businesses and investors.

Builders’ Corner

If you’re interested in building or learning more about these projects, here’s a quick guide:

Getting Started with Stellar: Check out the Protocol 24 Upgrade Guide to understand the latest network improvements and how they affect your applications.
Explore Etherfuse: Learn about their vision of bringing sovereign currencies onchain via the official podcast. This is a great resource to understand the potential of stablecoins linked to real-world currencies.
Chainlink Oracles: Developers should explore Chainlink’s new DataLink product, which provides trusted market data for smart contracts, opening new possibilities for DeFi and beyond.
Stay Updated: Follow the Stellar i³ Awards to discover and support innovative projects or even apply if you are building something exciting on Stellar.

Quick Prices

Here’s a snapshot of how some popular cryptocurrencies are performing as of October 23, 2025, 13:01 ET:

Bitcoin (BTC): $110,294 (+1.93% in 24h) – Continuing its steady climb, showing strong market confidence.
Ethereum (ETH): $3,917.61 (+1.79%) – Benefiting from sustained interest in smart contract platforms.
Ripple (XRP): $2.41 (+0.47%) – Slight gains reflecting ongoing network developments.
Stellar (XLM): $0.3137 (+0.70%) – Modest increase amid partnership news.
Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR): $0.1652 (-2.21%) – A small dip, breaking below a key support zone, which traders will be watching closely.
Flare Network (FLR): $0.0170 (-1.28%) – Slight decrease, possibly due to market fluctuations.
XDC Network (XDCE): $0.0624 (+0.42%) – Holding steady with minor gains.

What to Watch

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

Adoption of Onchain Sovereign Currencies: How Etherfuse’s initiative will progress and which currencies join the blockchain ecosystem first. This could set a precedent for global digital finance.
Stellar’s Ecosystem Growth: The impact of the Protocol 24 upgrade and partnership announcements on its transaction speed, cost, and developer activity.
Chainlink’s Expansion: With DataLink and other innovations, watch how Chainlink continues to bridge real-world data with blockchain applications.
Market Reactions: Monitor how regulatory news, like Binance’s CZ pardon, influences crypto market sentiment and exchange operations.
Price Movements of Hedera and Flare: Both have seen recent declines; understanding the reasons behind these moves could offer good entry points or cautionary signals for investors.

TL;DR: This week brings exciting progress in blockchain technology, especially with Etherfuse’s plan to put 100 national currencies onchain and Stellar’s Protocol 24 upgrade. Chainlink continues to innovate by connecting real-world data to smart contracts. Prices for major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are climbing steadily, while some altcoins face minor dips. Keep an eye on how these developments influence real-world finance and blockchain adoption.

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Blockchain Update: Etherfuse Onchains Sovereign Currencies; Stellar Launches Protocol 24 Upgrade