What Shipped
This week, the Stellar network launched its highly anticipated “Stellar X-Ray” upgrade, also known as Protocol 25. This update brings several improvements designed to make the network faster, more secure, and more scalable for users and developers alike. You can find the detailed upgrade guide and announcement on Stellar’s official blog:
Beyond Stellar, Ripple and the XDC Network are gaining attention for their ongoing work in cross-border payments and enterprise blockchain solutions. Hedera Hashgraph experienced a slight price dip but continues to develop its fast and energy-efficient public ledger platform. Flare Network also saw a notable price increase, reflecting growing interest in its smart contract capabilities compatible with Ethereum-based assets.
Why It Matters
Upgrades like Stellar’s Protocol 25 are crucial because they help blockchain networks stay competitive and useful in a fast-evolving market. Stellar focuses on making financial transactions easier and cheaper, especially for cross-border payments, which can often be slow and costly with traditional banking systems. By improving speed and security, Stellar aims to attract more users and businesses to its platform.
Ripple, another leader in cross-border payment solutions, is currently riding a wave of positive momentum, with its XRP token up over 8% in the last 24 hours. This reflects growing confidence in Ripple’s technology and partnerships that aim to make international money transfers faster and more affordable.
Meanwhile, Ethereum, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency, continues to show steady growth as it remains the foundation for many decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts. Its recent price increase indicates ongoing demand for the Ethereum network’s wide range of uses, from finance to gaming.
Finally, Flare Network’s rise highlights the growing interest in blockchain projects that combine smart contract functionality with interoperability, meaning they can work across different blockchain ecosystems. This opens up new possibilities for developers and users, such as using assets from one blockchain on another seamlessly.
Builders’ Corner
For developers and blockchain enthusiasts, the recent Stellar upgrade offers some exciting new tools and features:
- Improved Protocol Efficiency: Protocol 25 includes optimizations that reduce transaction costs and speed up confirmation times, meaning users can send money faster and cheaper than before.
- Enhanced Security Features: New cryptographic improvements help protect users and funds, which is essential as blockchain networks handle more valuable assets.
- Better Developer Experience: Updated APIs and documentation make it easier for developers to build applications on Stellar, encouraging innovation and new use cases.
If you’re a developer interested in blockchain, these upgrades mean more opportunities to create user-friendly financial apps, especially those targeting underserved markets or cross-border payments.
Quick Prices
Here’s a snapshot of some key cryptocurrency prices as of November 24, 2025, with their 24-hour changes:
- Bitcoin (BTC): $87,749 (+0.2%) — The king of cryptocurrencies remains strong, just shy of the $90,000 mark.
- Ethereum (ETH): $2,919 (+2.9%) — Showing steady growth thanks to its broad ecosystem.
- Ripple (XRP): $2.25 (+8.6%) — Leading the charge in crypto gains today, reflecting positive sentiment around cross-border payment solutions.
- Stellar (XLM): $0.2546 (+2.0%) — Benefiting from the recent protocol upgrade news.
- Flare Network (FLR): $0.0137 (+4.4%) — Growing interest in its interoperability features.
- XDC Network (XDC): $0.0544 (+4.5%) — Gaining traction in enterprise blockchain applications.
- Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR): $0.147 (-1.6%) — Slight dip but still a key player in fast, low-energy distributed ledgers.
What to Watch
Looking ahead, several factors are worth keeping an eye on:
- Stellar’s Protocol 25 Adoption: Watch how quickly exchanges, wallets, and applications adopt the new upgrade. Faster adoption often signals stronger network health.
- Ripple’s Legal and Regulatory Developments: Ripple has faced regulatory scrutiny in the past. Any positive news here could drive further price momentum.
- Ethereum Upgrades and Ecosystem Growth: Ethereum’s continued improvements, including scaling solutions, will be key to maintaining its dominance in decentralized apps.
- Cross-Border Payment Innovations: Both Ripple and Stellar are focused on revolutionizing international money transfers. New partnerships or real-world use cases could boost their tokens and network activity.
- Emerging Projects and Acquisitions: For example, crypto wallet firm Exodus recently acquired Baanx and Monavate for $175 million, signaling consolidation and growth in crypto infrastructure.
TL;DR: Stellar’s Protocol 25 upgrade promises faster, cheaper, and more secure transactions, boosting confidence in its network. Ripple’s XRP leads the market gains, highlighting excitement around cross-border payments. Ethereum continues steady growth, while Flare and XDC Network show promise in interoperability and enterprise use. Keep an eye on adoption rates, regulatory news, and new partnerships shaping the future of blockchain finance.
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