Let’s be honest. We were massive fans of Stellar back in the day. Not the XLM you see today on charts, but Stellar Lumens — the early version. The vision was clear. The vibe was different. The airdrops were generous.
Remember the Bitcoin holder airdrop? You got free XLM just for holding BTC. Then came the 125 million dollar giveaway. That was insane during the 2017–2018 bull run. People were buzzing. Twitter was glowing. And of course, we believed in the vision of Stellar.
It felt like a project with a purpose. Not just another coin.
A Bit of Stellar History
Jed McCaleb — the legend behind Stellar — is not new to the crypto scene. He founded Mt. Gox, the first major Bitcoin exchange. Later, he co-founded Ripple (XRP). But when his vision started to differ from Ripple’s path, he left.
Instead of moving on, he forked Ripple’s code (check the recent price action of XRP) and created Stellar. Back then, people called him a visionary. Others called him an evangelist or thought leader. We simply called ourselves fans.
The mission of Stellar was simple. Help the people most overlooked by the global financial system. Fast, cheap transactions. Access to stable currency in countries where inflation turned paychecks into Monopoly money. You’ve seen those old photos. People carrying bags of cash just to buy groceries. Stellar wanted to fix that.
My Personal XLM Journey
In the 2017–2018 bull cycle, I held a mid six-figure bag of XLM. It felt like the right move. I believed in the project.
Then the bear market hit. I watched that bag bleed down to -95%. I held on like a true believer. In 2020, it finally bounced. I sold. Not at the top, but during one of the pumps. It ended up being a high five-figure sell. Not close to the value of the all-time high years before that.
The lesson? No matter how much you believe in a coin, never hold through an entire cycle. Always take profits when the market gives you a chance.
What Has Stellar Been Up To Since 2020?
If we’re being honest, Stellar kind of went quiet. At least in our circles. No headlines. No hype. No viral tweets. While newer chains like Solana and Avalanche grabbed the spotlight, Stellar seemed to fade.
But maybe we weren’t paying attention.
Over the last few years, Stellar has kept building. Quietly. Patiently. In the background. Let’s take a look at some of the recent developments that brought XLM back into the spotlight.
Related, Bitcoin making new highs!
PayPal Picks Stellar for PYUSD Expansion
Here’s the big one.
On June 11, PayPal announced plans to launch its stablecoin — PayPal USD (PYUSD) — on Stellar. That’s a big deal. Until now, PYUSD lived only on Ethereum and Solana. But this move could bring it to millions of new users.
The launch is still pending regulatory approval from the New York State Department of Financial Services. But the potential is huge.
According to PayPal, Stellar is perfect for real-world utility. Fast. Cheap. Scalable. Everything you want in a payment network. The company said the move could help with daily payments, cross-border transfers, and financial services. That’s Stellar’s original mission — finally being used by a global fintech giant.
Stellar’s existing infrastructure includes:
- On- and off-ramps
- Local payment systems
- Global wallet access
With Stellar’s network, PYUSD could reach users in more than 170 countries. That’s serious reach.
PayFi, a new financing mechanism using PYUSD on Stellar, could help small businesses access real-time capital. Imagine getting a loan in seconds instead of weeks. That’s the promise.
A Word from PayPal
May Zabaneh, PayPal’s VP for digital currencies, said this partnership could push blockchain adoption forward — especially for cross-border payments.
Denelle Dixon, CEO of the Stellar Development Foundation, echoed that thought. She said this could bring real stablecoin usage to emerging markets. That’s been Stellar’s goal all along.
Ian Burrill, Senior Director at PayPal, added that Stellar’s low fees and fast speeds made it a perfect fit. In a short video released by Stellar, he explained that expanding PYUSD to Stellar gives it access to over 180 countries. It helps merchants send money in real-time and manage capital better.
XLM Price Action: Technical Overview
Now let’s talk about what most traders care about — price.
Between July 11 and July 12, XLM made a solid move. The price moved within a $0.071 range. That’s a 20.59% swing. It bounced from a low of $0.345 to a high of $0.416. That’s not small for a coin with such a large market cap.
Volume Spike
The most active trading came early on July 12. Between 01:00 and 02:00 UTC, XLM moved from $0.354 to $0.393. Volume exploded to over 551 million units — more than double the 24-hour average.
That kind of move usually signals strong support. In this case, around $0.354.
Breaking Resistance
The rally continued through the morning, hitting $0.416. But it faced resistance in the $0.400 to $0.403 zone. That’s likely where institutional traders started locking in profits.
Toward the end of the session, XLM regained momentum. From 15:47 to 16:46 UTC, the price climbed from $0.37 to $0.39 — a 3.89% gain.
Between 16:03 and 16:08 UTC, it surged again — from $0.374 to $0.385. Volume remained high, with two large spikes of 13 million and 17 million units.
By the end of the session, support was building around $0.385–$0.387. Traders are now watching to see if XLM can break through the $0.40–$0.41 resistance and test new levels. Ideally, we retest the resistance levels after a breakout.
Check out these 9 alt coins with positive momentum.
Can XLM Shine Again?
Stellar is finally back in the headlines. But is it enough?
The PayPal partnership is big. Really big. It aligns with Stellar’s original mission — helping people in unstable economies access real money and fast payments. If this integration goes live, it could lead to more visibility. More volume. More use cases.
But the competition is fierce. Other blockchains have grown massive ecosystems. Stellar will need to keep evolving. More partnerships. More adoption. Maybe even some updated branding.
Still, it feels like something is brewing again. edge.
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Final Words
XLM was one of the OGs. It gave away millions in airdrops. It tried to save the world with low-cost money. It survived multiple cycles. And now, it’s found a new ally in PayPal.
The price action is showing signs of life again. Volatility is back. Volume is rising. Support zones are forming.
Maybe it’s time to give XLM another look.
Just don’t forget the lesson. No matter how strong the project, don’t hold through a full cycle. Take profits when you can. Stack your wins.
Because in crypto, momentum moves fast — and you don’t want to miss the next wave.
Don’t miss the next big airdrop either. When altcoins go up, your next airdrop might even be a larger cook!
As always, don’t forget to claim your bonus below on Blofin. See you next time!
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