Read this article on bsc.news Stellar (@StellarOrg) has launched Protocol 30, known as Bell, on testnet. Validators are due to vote on mainnet activation on November 23, with $XLM (stellar:na
Stellar (@StellarOrg) has launched Protocol 30, known as Bell, on testnet. Validators are due to vote on mainnet activation on November 23, with $XLM (stellar:native) the network's native token. According to crypto.news, the testnet upgrade was confirmed in a November 4 announcement from the Stellar Development Foundation.
The upgrade carries three changes aimed at developers and network infrastructure. The Stellar Development Foundation describes them as muxed contract addresses, post-quantum signature verification in smart contracts, and millisecond ledger timing.
The most closely watched change is CAP-87, which lets Stellar smart contracts verify ML-DSA signatures. The foundation notes that the US National Institute of Standards and Technology finalized its post-quantum signature standards in 2024.
The scope is limited. According to the foundation, the feature protects authorization inside smart contracts, while network transaction signatures stay Ed25519 for now. A native post-quantum signer for classic accounts is planned for a future protocol change. In its FAQ, the foundation answers directly that Bell does not make Stellar post-quantum. Instead, contract accounts can opt into quantum-safe authorization.
A second change, CAP-84, adds muxed contract addresses. KuCoin News reports that these pair a contract address with a customer identifier in a new format beginning with W. A business can route deposits for multiple customers into one smart contract and track balances offchain. Stellar already supported that model for regular accounts, but not for contract addresses.
CAP-88 moves ledger close-time recording to milliseconds. The foundation says this removes a technical barrier to faster ledger close times. It does not shorten close times by itself.
The change alters the ledger header format, so preparation matters for builders. The foundation's upgrade guide lists the mainnet vote for November 23, 2026 at 1700 UTC. It also says an older SDK may fail to decode Protocol 30 ledgers, and that wallets, ramps and issuers should upgrade before the mainnet vote. Existing Soroban contracts keep working after the upgrade, and the new features are opt-in when developers rebuild against the updated SDK.
Approval is not guaranteed. The upgrade takes effect only if validators approve it at the mainnet vote.
Stellar Development Foundation: Introducing Bell, Protocol 30 on Stellar
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crypto.news: Stellar Protocol 30 Bell upgrade goes live on testnet
