January 2026 Crypto Update: Ripple, Stellar, Hedera, and More

What Shipped

As we close out January 2026, the crypto space is buzzing with exciting developments, especially around some of the projects focused on interoperability and real-world use cases. Here’s a quick look at what’s new:

• Stellar’s Meridian 2025 Event Highlights: Stellar showcased innovative uses of smart contracts for digital art and NFTs (non-fungible tokens) during their recent Meridian event. NFTs are unique digital items like art or collectibles that live on the blockchain, making them secure and verifiable.
• Stablecoin Growth on Stellar’s Brale Network: Stellar announced a major milestone in stablecoin issuance on its Brale platform, growing from $100 million to $1 billion. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies tied to stable assets like the US dollar, helping reduce price swings and making digital payments more practical.
• Interoperability Advances: Stellar also published a key article on how traditional payment networks (think banks and credit cards) and open blockchain protocols are finally working together more smoothly. This means easier, faster, and cheaper cross-border payments for everyone.
• Hedera’s January Developer Highlights and New Partnerships: Hedera Hashgraph shared updates on new tools and projects from their developer community, along with welcoming four new members to their governing council. These partnerships help strengthen the network’s security and adoption.
• Hedera at Davos 2026: Hedera took center stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos, emphasizing their mission to advance “digital trust” — making online transactions more transparent and reliable.
• Chainlink’s Insights: Chainlink published several insightful blog posts about the growing role of blockchain technology in banking and tokenization, highlighting how interoperability standards will be critical to scaling these innovations.
• Market Volatility: Despite these positive developments, some market turbulence occurred with Bitcoin and Ethereum seeing price fluctuations, partly due to macroeconomic concerns and a rare liquidation event in silver impacting crypto markets.

Why It Matters

Understanding why these developments are important can help newcomers and investors see the bigger picture behind the numbers:

• Smart Contracts and NFTs: Smart contracts are self-executing agreements written in code on blockchains. Stellar’s use of these for art and NFTs shows how blockchain can open new creative and economic opportunities beyond just currency.
• Stablecoins’ Role: By growing stablecoin issuance, Stellar helps make digital money more practical for everyday use. Since stablecoins reduce volatility, they’re attractive for remittances, business payments, and even savings in countries with unstable currencies.
• Interoperability: The seamless connection between traditional finance and blockchain networks is a game-changer. It means your bank or payment app could soon send money using blockchain technology behind the scenes, making transactions faster and less expensive.
• Governance and Trust: Hedera’s council model, which includes big-name companies, adds a layer of trust and stability to their network. This is key for enterprises and governments considering blockchain adoption.
• Market Movements: The slight dip in Ethereum and other altcoins reminds us that crypto markets can be volatile. However, Bitcoin’s steady price increase signals ongoing investor confidence in its role as “digital gold.”

Builders’ Corner

If you’re interested in how developers and projects are shaping the future, here are some highlights and resources worth exploring:

• Stellar’s Developer Resources: Check out Stellar’s blog to learn about their latest smart contract tools and how to build NFT projects that can reach a global audience. The Meridian 2025 event recap is a great starting point: Art & Smart Contracts: NFTs at Meridian 2025.
• Building with Hedera: Hedera’s January developer highlights showcase new APIs and tutorials for creating decentralized applications (dApps) that emphasize speed and security. Their blog is a valuable resource: Hedera Developer Highlights January 2026.
• Interoperability Projects: For those curious about how blockchains can “talk” to traditional payment systems, Stellar’s article on interoperability explains the technical and business challenges in simple terms: The interoperability imperative.
• Stablecoin Issuance: Developers can explore how to issue their own stablecoins on Stellar’s Brale network, which now supports billions in transactions. Read more here: $100M → $1B: Stablecoin Issuance on Brale.

Quick Prices

Here’s a snapshot of some popular cryptocurrencies as of January 31, 2026, 05:08 ET:

• Bitcoin (BTC): $82,942 (up about 1.02% in the last 24 hours)
• Ethereum (ETH): $2,639 (down about 2.63%)
• Ripple (XRP): $1.70 (down about 2.32%)
• Stellar (XLM): $0.186 (down about 3.03%)
• Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR): $0.095 (down about 2.91%)
• Flare Networks (FLR): $0.010 (down about 0.55%)
• XDC Network (XDCE): $0.036 (down about 0.73%)

While some altcoins experienced minor declines, Bitcoin continues to show strength, reflecting its role as a leading store of value in the crypto ecosystem.

What to Watch

Looking ahead to February and beyond, here are some key trends and events to keep an eye on:

• Further NFT and Smart Contract Innovations: As Stellar’s Meridian event showed, expect more creative applications of blockchain technology in art, gaming, and digital collectibles.
• Stablecoin Regulation and Adoption: With stablecoins growing rapidly, regulatory clarity will be crucial. Watch how governments and institutions respond to these new forms of digital money.
• Blockchain and Traditional Finance Integration: Projects working on interoperability will likely accelerate partnerships with banks and payment networks, making crypto more accessible for everyday users.
• Hedera’s Council Growth: The addition of new council members could bring fresh investments and use cases, strengthening Hedera’s position in enterprise blockchain solutions.
• Market Volatility and Macro Factors: Keep an eye on global economic news, as these can impact crypto prices. While dips can be unsettling, they also create opportunities for long-term investors.
• Developer Ecosystem Expansion: More tools, tutorials, and community events will likely emerge, making it easier for newcomers to start building their own blockchain projects.

TL;DR: January 2026 saw exciting progress in blockchain technology with Stellar advancing NFT and stablecoin use, Hedera expanding its developer tools and partnerships, and growing efforts to connect traditional payment systems with open blockchain networks. Bitcoin remains strong, while some altcoins faced minor price dips. These developments highlight growing adoption, innovation, and the promise of a more connected financial future powered by blockchain.