What Shipped
In this week’s blockchain update, several important developments have taken place across multiple projects, particularly involving Ripple, Stellar, Hedera, Flare Network, and XDC Network. Notably, the NYSE has listed new spot crypto ETFs for Solana, Hedera, and Litecoin, making it easier for investors to access these digital assets through traditional stock market channels. This is a big step toward mainstream adoption and offers more convenient investment options for those new to cryptocurrency.
On the protocol side, Stellar recently released its Protocol 24 upgrade. Protocol upgrades are like software updates for blockchains—they improve security, add new features, and enhance performance. This particular upgrade aims to make transactions faster and more efficient on the Stellar network, which specializes in cross-border payments and asset transfers.
In addition, Etherfuse, a new project focused on bringing 100 sovereign currencies onchain, has been highlighted. This means Etherfuse is working to represent real-world national currencies (like the US Dollar or Euro) as digital tokens on a blockchain. This could revolutionize how money moves globally by making transactions faster and cheaper.
On the business front, Ether Treasury Firm ETHZilla sold $40 million worth of Ethereum (ETH) to fund a share buyback. For those unfamiliar, a share buyback is when a company buys its own shares from investors, often signaling confidence in its future and aiming to increase the value of remaining shares.
Finally, major partnerships are being formed. Wall Street bank Citi and Coinbase, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, announced a collaboration to expand digital asset payments. This partnership aims to make it easier for businesses and individuals to use cryptocurrencies for everyday payments, a key step toward wider acceptance.
Why It Matters
These updates highlight how blockchain technology continues to grow beyond just digital currencies. The NYSE listing of spot ETFs for Solana, Hedera, and Litecoin means more traditional investors can participate in crypto markets without needing to deal with wallets or exchanges directly. This lowers the barrier to entry and increases institutional interest.
Stellar’s Protocol 24 upgrade is important because it improves the network’s ability to handle more transactions at a lower cost. Stellar is known for its focus on cross-border payments, so faster and cheaper transactions can help people and businesses move money internationally more easily, especially in regions where traditional banking is slow or expensive.
Etherfuse’s goal to bring 100 sovereign currencies onchain could transform global finance. By representing national currencies as digital tokens, it enables instant and low-cost cross-border payments, reduces reliance on intermediaries like banks, and increases transparency.
ETHZilla’s share buyback signals confidence in Ethereum’s long-term value. It shows that organizations holding large amounts of ETH are actively managing their assets to benefit shareholders, which can boost investor confidence.
The Citi-Coinbase partnership is a sign that major financial institutions are embracing cryptocurrencies as part of the future of payments. This collaboration could lead to more businesses accepting crypto payments, making digital assets more practical for daily use.
Builders’ Corner
- Stellar Protocol 24 Upgrade: Developers working on Stellar should explore the new features and optimizations introduced in this upgrade. It offers improved transaction speed and lower fees, which can enable more complex applications and better user experiences.
- Etherfuse Initiative: Builders interested in stablecoins or national currency tokenization can look into how Etherfuse plans to represent sovereign currencies onchain. This could open opportunities for creating new financial products or payment solutions.
- Chainlink Developments: Chainlink recently released its Q3 2025 quarterly review and announced DataLink, a product that brings institutional market data directly onto blockchains. Builders can integrate reliable off-chain data into smart contracts, enabling more advanced decentralized finance (DeFi) applications.
- Ripple and Stellar Focus: Both Ripple and Stellar continue to push innovations in cross-border payments and digital asset transfers. Builders can explore their ecosystems for partnerships, new tools, and APIs that simplify blockchain integration.
Quick Prices (as of Oct 27, 2025, 21:01 ET)
- Bitcoin (BTC): $113,974 (down about 0.75% in 24 hours)
- Ethereum (ETH): $4,116.54 (down about 1.3%)
- Hedera (HBAR): $0.1898 (up 4.8%) — showing strong growth today
- Ripple (XRP): $2.64 (slightly down 0.32%)
- Stellar (XLM): $0.3231 (down 2.68%)
- Flare Network (FLR): $0.0171 (down 2.75%)
- XDC Network (XDCE): $0.0616 (down 0.98%)
Prices can fluctuate daily, but it’s encouraging to see Hedera’s price increasing, possibly reflecting positive sentiment from the new ETF listings and network upgrades.
What to Watch
- Adoption of Onchain Sovereign Currencies: Follow the progress of Etherfuse as it works to bring 100 national currencies onto blockchain networks. This could have major implications for global payments and financial inclusion.
- Impact of Stellar’s Protocol 24: Monitor how the upgrade affects transaction speeds and costs. Faster and cheaper payments could attract more users and developers to the Stellar ecosystem.
- Institutional Interest in Crypto ETFs: Watch trading volumes and investor response to the newly launched ETFs on the NYSE for Solana, Hedera, and Litecoin. Increased institutional involvement often leads to greater market stability.
- Partnership Outcomes: Keep an eye on the results of the Citi and Coinbase partnership, especially any new payment solutions or platforms that make using cryptocurrencies easier for everyday transactions.
- Chainlink’s DataLink Adoption: See how the introduction of onchain institutional data sources enhances decentralized finance applications and smart contract capabilities.
TL;DR: This week, major progress includes Stellar’s network upgrade for faster payments, NYSE listing new crypto ETFs for easier investing, Etherfuse pushing to put 100 national currencies on blockchain, and Citi partnering with Coinbase to expand crypto payment options. Ethereum’s ETHZilla sold $40M ETH to fund a share buyback, signaling confidence. Hedera’s price is up, reflecting growing interest. Builders should explore these new tools and partnerships as blockchain adoption continues to grow in practical, exciting ways.
Add comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.