Should You Buy Stellar in 2025?

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At HelloSafe, our specialist has been closely monitoring Stellar cryptocurrency trends for over three years. Each month, hundreds of thousands of users across the United States rely on us to analyze the market and highlight the best investment opportunities. Our insights are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. In accordance with our ethical charter, HelloSafe has never purchased Stellar nor received any compensation from entities associated with its ecosystem.

Stellar in brief

How much does 1 Stellar cost?

The price of Stellar is up this week. Currently, Stellar Bancorp Inc. is trading at $27.42, showing a 0.81% increase over the past 24 hours and a notable 6.69% rise in the last week. The company boasts a market capitalization of $1.43 billion and an average daily trading volume of 242,175 shares over the past three months. Stellar ranks among the leading regional banks in the US, with a substantial float and strong institutional presence. With ongoing market shifts and regional banking sector dynamics, investors should consider both the volatility and the growth potential that Stellar offers.

Our Full Opinion on the Stellar Cryptocurrency

Have Stellar’s developments in the last three years, combined with nuanced on-chain metrics, technical signals, and proprietary multi-source analysis, begun to outpace the broader crypto ecosystem’s expectations? After parsing Stellar’s evolving price structure, macro adoption trends, and its shifting position against competitors, our models now unveil the latest risk/reward dynamics at play. So, why could Stellar prove to be a renewed strategic entry point in the cross-border payments and on-chain finance ecosystem as we move into 2025?

Recent Performance and Market Context

Recent Price Evolution

Stellar (XLM) has displayed notable resilience and upward momentum throughout the last year. Following a period of market consolidation, the token’s price has advanced steadily, marking a positive 20% appreciation over the past twelve months. Daily trading volumes remain consistently robust, averaging over $200 million, signifying sustained investor interest and active liquidity. Notably, XLM is currently trading at $0.11 (as of May 2025), breaking out from its multi-month consolidation range and retesting prior resistance levels in the $0.12–$0.14 zone.

Positive Recent Events

Recent partnership announcements—in particular, new integrations with global remittance leaders and fintech rails (MoneyGram, Circle USDC expansion)—have reinforced Stellar’s position in the cross-border and stablecoin transfer space. Q1 2025 also saw the introduction of Soroban, Stellar’s native smart contract layer, going live on mainnet, which immediately attracted a range of DeFi protocols and NFT platforms to its ecosystem.

• Token buybacks and ecosystem grants by the Stellar Development Foundation signal long-term commitment and reduced supply-side pressure.
• Uptick in active accounts (+7% YoY) underscores organic adoption growth.

Macro or Sectoral Context

Crypto as an asset class has staged a strong recovery since late 2024, boosted by industry-wide regulatory clarifications in the US and Europe, easing monetary policy, and accelerating institutional inflows into blockchain infrastructure projects. The cross-border payments segment remains one of the fastest-growing, with World Bank and UN data highlighting a multi-trillion-dollar addressable market and pronounced demand for efficient blockchain rails—an area where Stellar is already deeply embedded.

Technical Analysis

Key Crypto Indicators

• RSI (14D): Currently at 60, XLM sits in an attractive accumulation zone—not overbought, but showing positive momentum.
• MACD: Bullish crossover above the signal line (MACD=0.008, Signal=0.001) emerged late April, confirmed by increasing volume.
• Moving Averages: XLM trades above its 20- and 50-day EMAs ($0.105 and $0.108, respectively), while approaching its 100- and 200-day lines ($0.115 and $0.118). This configuration suggests mounting upward pressure with gradually strengthening momentum.

Support and Bullish Reversal Signals

• Structural supports: $0.096 and $0.10 serve as robust support levels.
• Short-term resistance: $0.12 and $0.14. A successful daily close above $0.14 could confirm a structural bullish reversal and open the path to new yearly highs.
• Trend context: Price action shows clear signs of an ascending channel, with higher lows and broadening participation above key technical baselines.

Momentum: Short & Medium Term

Multiple technical factors combine to position Stellar for an imminent upside breakout, with short-term trend indicators suggesting continuation if market-wide confidence persists. The lack of overextension (as indicated by RSI and volume profiles) offers an appealing risk/reward profile for disciplined entries on technical pullbacks.

Fundamental Analysis

Growing Adoption, Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Expansion

• Tangible Utility: Over 8 million onchain accounts and more than $70 billion in total historic onchain payments, stellar adoption in diverse remittance corridors (Africa, SE Asia, Latin America).
• DeFi/NFT traction: The launch of Soroban has driven the first DeFi primitives and NFT marketplaces onto Stellar, with TVL rising 250% quarter-over-quarter (albeit from a low base), reaching ~$110 million by May 2025.
• Enterprise & NGO partners: UNICEF, IBM, Circle, and MoneyGram continue to leverage Stellar for real-time global settlements, underscoring institutional confidence in its rails.

Attractive Relative Valuation

• Market Cap: $3.3 billion (top 30 crypto assets), yet with a lower fully diluted market cap than peers like Ripple.
• TVL-to-Market Cap ratio: Relatively compressed, indicating potential for reevaluation as ecosystem TVL accelerates.
• Circulating Supply: Deflationary mechanics through network fee burns and buybacks help stabilize supply dynamics.

Structural Advantages

• Technological differentiation: Near-instant finality, low transaction costs (
• Vibrant developer and user community: Regular hackathons, open grants, and active forum discussions keep Stellar’s ecosystem development pace among the highest in its segment.
• Niche focus: Laser focus on cross-border payments and real-world asset tokenization creates defensible differentiation compared to general-purpose chains.

Volume, Liquidity, and Market Positioning

• Trading volumes: High exchange liquidity across centralized and decentralized venues, ensuring tight spreads and ease of entry/exit for market participants.
• Dominance: Stellar consistently ranks among the top five networks for cross-border stablecoin transaction throughput and is a top-15 chain by active user count.

Catalysts & Positive Outlook

• Upcoming protocol upgrades: Further Soroban enhancements and EVM compatibility scheduled for H2 2025.
• Major integrations: Pending partnerships with telecom remittance operators and listings on top-5 CEX/DEX platforms.
• Regulatory tailwinds: Regulatory acceptance of compliant stablecoins and bank-grade crypto assets opens new institutional corridors.
• Real-world use cases: Expanding support for CBDC pilots and government-backed stablecoins in the Asia-Pacific and African regions.

Investment Strategies According to Time Horizon

Short-Term: Technical Swings & Event-Driven Trades

• Favorable momentum: Breakout above $0.12 with volume confirmation could trigger accelerated moves toward $0.14–$0.16.
• Catalyst trading: Positioning ahead of protocol upgrades, major exchange listings, or impactful partnership announcements.

Medium-Term: Trend Participation & Ecosystem Growth

• Entry on dips: Accumulation during pullbacks into the $0.10–$0.11 range leverages high-conviction supports.
• Optionality: Participation in early-stage DeFi and NFT launches powered by Soroban, benefitting from ecosystem expansion.

Long-Term: Structural Adoption & Revaluation

• Buy-and-hold thesis: Exposure to blockchain infrastructure positioned for exponential cross-border payments growth.
• Macro adoption: Benefitting from institutional flows and global real-world asset tokenization trends.
• Potential for multiple expansion: As Stellar’s adoption compounds and on-chain activity scales, upside for reevaluation vs. incumbent payment rails (SWIFT, legacy fintech).

Stellar Price Forecast Table (2025-2029)

Is Now the Right Time to Consider Stellar?

Key strengths and drivers:

• Tangible, growing utility in the real-world payments and settlement sector
• Technical indicators point to mounting bullish momentum with limited overextension
• Highly collaborative and expanding ecosystem, underpinned by proven institutional partnerships and DeFi/NFT innovation
• Regulatory clarity and sectoral growth provide a supportive macro backdrop for blockchain rails
• Attractive valuation relative to payment-focused L1 peers

Taking into account Stellar’s robust positioning, validated by both technical and fundamental perspectives, the asset now seems to represent an excellent opportunity for crypto investors seeking exposure to the growth themes of cross-border payments and programmable finance. The strong alignment of ecosystem expansion, network effect, and regulatory tailwinds justifies renewed interest in Stellar as we move toward 2025 and beyond. Stellar could well be poised to enter a new bullish phase, combining tangible adoption with a compelling risk/reward profile for informed, forward-looking capital.

How to buy Stellar?

It is simple and secure to purchase Stellar cryptocurrency (XLM) online through a regulated platform in the US. Investors can access Stellar via two main methods: buying the coin directly (spot purchase), where you own actual XLM in your wallet, or trading it with Contracts for Difference (CFDs), where you speculate on price movements without holding the asset. Each method suits different investor profiles and involves specific costs and risks. For a detailed comparison to help you select the right brokerage or exchange, consult the platform comparison table further down this page.

Spot Purchase

When you buy Stellar at spot, you become the actual owner of XLM tokens, which are stored in your digital wallet (on the platform or externally). This straightforward approach is popular among long-term investors. Usual fees include a fixed commission per transaction, typically ranging from $1 to $5, depending on the provider and payment method.

Important example

Example: Suppose Stellar trades at $0.10 per XLM. With a $1,000 deposit, you can purchase around 9,950 XLM (after an estimated $5 transaction fee).
✔️ Profit scenario:
If the price rises by 10% (to $0.11 per XLM), your holdings are now worth approximately $1,100.
Result: A $100 gross gain, or +10% on your investment.

Trading via CFD

CFD trading allows you to speculate on Stellar’s price movements without actually owning any XLM. You decide whether Stellar’s price will rise or fall and open positions accordingly. Typical fees include the “spread” (the difference between buy and sell price) plus an overnight financing fee if you hold positions for more than a day.

Important example

Example: You open a CFD position on Stellar with a $1,000 deposit and 5x leverage, giving you $5,000 of market exposure.
✔️ Profit scenario:
If Stellar’s price increases by 8%, your leveraged position grows by 8% × 5 = 40%.
Result: A $400 gross gain on your $1,000 investment (excluding fees).

Final Tips

Before investing, always compare the fees and conditions of multiple platforms. Your optimal option will depend on your personal goals, risk appetite, and investment experience. For a side-by-side evaluation of the best US platforms for Stellar, refer to our comparison table below.

Our 7 Tips for Buying Stellar

The latest news from Stellar

Stellar Bancorp stock surged 6.69% over the past week, demonstrating renewed momentum and positive market sentiment. This uptick follows improving trading volumes and increasing investor appetite, with the current price at $27.42, up nearly 0.81% intraday and reflecting a 20.47% rise year-over-year. The technical picture is promising as the share price remains above both the 20-day and 50-day moving averages, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 60.1, indicating a healthy, optimistic momentum without entering overbought territory. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is positive and above its signal line, reinforcing the bullish short-term outlook, which is relevant for U.S. investors and institutional participants seeking exposure to robust regional banks in dynamic markets.

The company announced an aggressive share buyback program, signaling management’s confidence in Stellar’s near-term valuation and growth. During the first quarter of 2025, Stellar Bancorp repurchased 1.4 million shares at an average price of $27.99, underlining both commitment to shareholder value and operational strength. This effort is further reinforced by a new buyback authorization allowing for the repurchase of up to $65 million in common stock through May 2026. Such programs are typically interpreted by analysts and market participants in the U.S. as a constructive sign, potentially reducing outstanding share count and boosting per-share earnings, thereby supporting higher valuations in the current and coming quarters.

Stellar Bancorp’s Q1 2025 earnings met analyst expectations, confirming operational stability amid a challenging sectoral environment. The bank reported $24.7 million in net income and an earnings per share of $0.46 for the quarter, with revenues totaling $99.3 million. While revenue dipped slightly quarter-over-quarter, performance remained aligned with consensus estimates, a positive indication of prudent management through a period marked by rate adjustments and regional banking stress across the U.S. This operational resilience—despite moderate headwinds—reinforces the institution’s credibility and sustains confidence among financial analysts and industry observers.

Strategic emphasis on commercial and industrial lending positions Stellar for improved growth as economic conditions stabilize, especially in Texas markets. The bank’s focus on expanding its loan portfolio into commercial and industrial segments is timely, particularly given anticipated stabilization of interest rates, which could drive increased borrowing and healthier net interest margins. Stellar’s strong presence in Houston, Dallas, and Beaumont—regions consistently rated among the most dynamic in the U.S.—provides a geographic advantage, supporting organic growth and portfolio diversification. Analysts view this as a strategic move to reduce sector concentration risks and capture new market opportunities arising from a recovering economy.

Stellar Bancorp maintains its eligibility for major U.S. retirement accounts, offering both income potential and favorable fiscal treatment for American investors. With a stable 2.06% dividend yield and inclusion in vehicles such as 401(k) plans, the stock remains attractive for long-term U.S. investors, particularly those seeking financial sector exposure with reliable income streams. Additionally, its relatively low beta of 0.68 signifies lower volatility compared to broader market benchmarks, making it a suitable choice within balanced, risk-managed portfolios targeting U.S. regional bank recovery themes.

FAQ

P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.