Stellar sits near $0.248 after a tough month that pushed the token into a familiar support region. The $0.22–$0.20 zone triggered three major surges in the past and those rallies measured 32%, 53%, and an explosive 138%. Traders now wonder if history plans a repeat as Stellar X-Ray enters the spotlight and draws fresh interest into the project’s long-term roadmap.
X-Ray in Protocol 25: Zero-Knowledge Arrives on Stellar
Protocol 25 marks a major step in Stellar’s infrastructure story. The upgrade introduces X-Ray, a cryptographic toolkit designed for configurable privacy. Developers gain new power to build compliance-aligned privacy apps through zero-knowledge proofs. The upgrade stays aligned with Stellar’s transparency rules while still creating room for advanced privacy design.
Two cryptographic pillars define X-Ray. The first is BN254, a pairing-friendly curve used across many ZK systems. This curve powers privacy pools, ZK Email, Starknet, and many SNARK-based projects. Before Protocol 25, developers faced friction. They rewrote applications or used expensive workarounds. With support for bn254_g1_add, bn254_g1_mul, and bn254_multi_pairing_check, Stellar removes those barriers and matches Ethereum’s well-known precompiles.
The second pillar is Poseidon and Poseidon2, two ZK-optimized hash systems. These primitives unlock faster proof generation and smooth off-chain and on-chain alignment. Anyone building commitment structures, Merkle trees, or advanced ZK circuits gains new performance. It raises a question: how fast will developers migrate projects to Stellar now that feature parity improves?
Protocol 25 arrives with a clear timeline:
Testnet vote: January 7, 2026
Mainnet vote: January 22, 2026
The message from the Stellar Development Foundation is clear. Zero-knowledge is no longer a distant roadmap concept. It starts now.
Wirex and Stellar Activate Visa Stablecoin Settlement
Stellar’s privacy evolution arrives as adoption grows. Wirex launched dual-stablecoin Visa settlement using USDC and EURC for more than seven million users. The integration covers 130 countries, removes bank intermediaries and pushes settlement closer to real time.
This shift improves settlement flow in several ways:
Lower fees
Faster processing
Full 24/7 availability
Clearer USD and EUR tracking on-chain
The feature uses Wirex Pay’s stablecoin engine and aligns with broader payment plans. Users do nothing. The rollout follows Visa’s regional rules and keeps the same card experience. Stellar wants stablecoin settlement to become a natural part of global spending, and this update brings it a step closer.
Technical Setup: XLM Fights to Hold the 0.22 Support
Stellar tapped $0.5 in July 2025 before price collapsed into a long bearish stretch. The descending trendline guided the drop until XLM broke it and retested the $0.3 level. The rejection sent price toward $0.22, the zone that now acts as a key pivot.
Source: X
This area has held through recent volatility. If buyers control it, the chart sets up a move toward $0.31. A clean break of that resistance has the potential to send XLM back to this year’s highs. Traders watch two clear conditions:
Hold $0.22 - Rally toward $0.31 resistance
Break $0.22 - Decline toward $0.168 previous lows
Here is the part many traders find interesting. $XLM just tapped the same $0.22–$0.20 zone that triggered 32%, 53%, and 138% rallies. Will the level hold this time? If this region holds, the reaction could be powerful.
XLM Price Prediction Table (2025)
| Month (2025) | Minimum | Average | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2025 | $0.22 | $0.26 | $0.31 |
| November 2025 | $0.23 | $0.28 | $0.34 |
| December 2025 | $0.24 | $0.30 | $0.38 |
Stellar now balances between powerful fundamentals and a technical zone with history. Protocol 25 unlocks real ZK potential. Wirex delivers real payments adoption. If price respects support, and bulls gain their momentum, they may regain control sooner than expected.