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- Key upgrades with Stellar Protocol 23 include reduced smart contract execution costs, expanded host functions, improved token event tracking, and major ledger performance gains through increased CPU and read capacity.
- Native crypto XLM has surged 75% in the past month, currently trading above $0.41. Analysts see potential for a further 80% rally to $0.79.
On July 29, the Stellar Foundation introduced Protocol 23, a major network upgrade featuring eight new Core Advancement Proposals (CAPs), and is set for a mainnet vote next month on August 26, 2025. This update caters to key areas such as smart contract efficiency, token functionality, scalability, and other consensus improvements for the blockchain network.
Here’s All About Stellar Protocol 23 Upgrade
Protocol 23 introduces key upgrades to smart contract performance on the Stellar network. By relocating the contract state to RAM and implementing a module cache, execution costs are significantly reduced. Developers also gain access to new host functions, including contract executable getters and enhanced string/byte conversion tools, per the official announcement.
Additionally, token interface events can now be emitted across all operations involving value transfers, improving visibility and integration with external systems. On the other hand, the Stellar upgrade also brings major performance enhancements to the Stellar ledger. Manual restoration of archived entries is no longer required, and per-ledger CPU and read capacities are substantially increased through parallel execution.
Furthermore, the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP) now allows validators to adjust network configurations. This lays the groundwork for lower ledger latency and faster transaction finality. These changes position Stellar for greater scalability and responsiveness.
Amid these high growth and scalability plans, the Stellar Foundation has forged key partnerships in recent times. Last month, financial giant PayPal announced the integration of its stablecoin, PayPal USD (PYUSD), with the Stellar network, citing the platform’s speed, low transaction costs, and ease of integration, as reported by CNF.
Will 75% XLM Price Rally Continue?
Stellar’s native crypto XLM has been on investors’ radar recently with a massive 75% upside over the past month. As of now, XLM price is trading at $0.4179 with its market cap holding above $13 billion, making it the 13th largest crypto asset by market cap.
Crypto analyst Javon Marks has expressed strong bullish sentiment on Stellar (XLM), pointing to parallels between the current market structure and the 2015–2018 bull cycle. According to Marks, XLM may be positioning for an upside move of over 80%, targeting the $0.79783 level in the near term.
Marks added that a successful breakout above this threshold could open the door for a much larger rally, with XLM potentially surging another 900% to exceed $8.00. If realized, this would mark a more than 10x increase from current price levels.
Earlier this month, popular trader Peter Brandt also suggested that XLM has a strong bullish chart. If the broader crypto market supports, the altcoins could be gearing for a strong upside.
