What Shipped
In the past week, the blockchain space has seen some exciting developments, especially from key players like Stellar, Ripple, and Chainlink. One of the standout projects is Etherfuse, which aims to bring 100 sovereign currencies onto blockchain networks. This means that traditional national currencies could become digital assets on public blockchains, allowing faster, cheaper, and more transparent cross-border payments.
Stellar has also released its Protocol 24 Upgrade Guide, a technical update that improves the network’s performance and security. Additionally, Stellar recently celebrated the Stellar i³ Awards 2025, recognizing innovative projects building on its platform.
Chainlink, the popular decentralized oracle network, shared its Q3 2025 Quarterly Review and announced its victory in the Swift Hackathon 2025 Business Challenge. They also introduced DataLink, a new service that brings institutional market data directly onto blockchains, helping smart contracts access reliable real-world information.
On the market front, Bitcoin remains strong, holding above $113,000 despite a slight 1.19% dip in the last 24 hours. Ethereum is steady above $4,000, with some optimism fueled by notable investors like Tom Lee’s BitMine buying the dip. Ripple’s XRP and Solana’s SOL futures have hit record high open interest on CME, signaling increased trader interest.
Why It Matters
Bringing sovereign currencies onchain with projects like Etherfuse can revolutionize how money moves globally. Traditional cross-border payments can be slow and expensive due to intermediaries like banks and payment processors. By tokenizing national currencies on blockchains, transactions can become near-instant, transparent, and cost-effective. This could especially benefit individuals and businesses in countries with limited banking access or high remittance fees.
Stellar’s protocol upgrades enhance the network’s ability to handle more transactions securely and efficiently. This makes Stellar a competitive choice for developers and companies looking to build financial applications, such as payment platforms or digital assets.
Chainlink’s advancements in connecting real-world data to blockchains are crucial for the growth of decentralized finance (DeFi) and other smart contract applications. Reliable data feeds enable smart contracts to execute automatically based on real-world events, like stock prices or weather conditions, opening up vast new use cases.
The strong market activity around Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, and others shows continued investor confidence despite short-term price fluctuations. Record futures open interest suggests institutional players are actively positioning themselves, which can lead to more liquidity and maturity in the market over time.
Builders’ Corner
- Etherfuse: Developers working with sovereign currency tokenization should watch this project closely. It aims to create a standard way to onboard national currencies onto blockchains, potentially simplifying compliance and interoperability between different blockchain systems.
- Stellar Protocol 24: If you’re building on Stellar, upgrading to Protocol 24 is essential. It includes improved transaction processing and better security measures, which help your applications run smoothly and safely.
- Chainlink DataLink: Builders interested in smart contracts that rely on real-world data can explore DataLink. This platform offers institutional-grade data feeds, which can enhance the reliability and scope of your decentralized applications.
- Ripple and Stellar ecosystems: Both continue to foster vibrant developer communities, offering grants, hackathons, and support. Engaging with these communities can provide resources and networking opportunities.
Quick Prices
- Bitcoin (BTC): $113,093 (down ~1.19% in 24h)
- Ethereum (ETH): $4,007.92 (down ~2.81% in 24h)
- Ripple (XRP): $2.63 (down ~1.07% in 24h)
- Stellar (XLM): $0.319 (down ~4.49% in 24h)
- Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR): $0.195 (down ~7.63% in 24h)
- Flare Network (FLR): $0.0167 (down ~2.27% in 24h)
- XDC Network (XDCE): $0.0613 (down ~1.08% in 24h)
Although prices have dipped slightly recently, the overall trend remains positive, with strong support levels holding for major coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
What to Watch
- Fed Week and Market Sentiment: Traders are cautious ahead of upcoming Federal Reserve announcements, which often influence market volatility. Watch how Bitcoin and Ethereum react to any changes in interest rate policies.
- Stellar Protocol 24 Adoption: Monitor how quickly developers and projects adopt the new Stellar upgrade, as it may impact network performance and new application launches.
- Ripple and Solana Futures: Keep an eye on futures trading volumes and open interest on CME, as these can signal growing institutional involvement and potential price moves.
- Chainlink DataLink Expansion: See how DataLink integrates with more blockchains and applications, potentially increasing demand for Chainlink’s oracle services.
- Etherfuse Progress: Follow updates on the rollout of sovereign currencies onchain, as successful implementation could drive broader adoption of blockchain-based financial systems.
TL;DR: Recent updates highlight exciting progress in bringing traditional currencies onto blockchains with Etherfuse, Stellar’s protocol upgrade, and Chainlink’s new data services. Market activity remains strong with Bitcoin above $113K and institutional interest rising. Builders should focus on new tools and upgrades, while investors watch Federal Reserve moves and futures markets for the next big signals.
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