Stellar Bell Upgrade Goes Live on Testnet Ahead of Mainnet Vote
Protocol 30 adds muxed contract addresses, post-quantum signature checks in Soroban contracts and millisecond ledger timing. Validators vote on mainnet activation on November 23.
Key Takeaways
- Stellar activated Protocol 30, codenamed Bell, on testnet on November 4, 2026.
- Validators vote on mainnet activation on November 23, 2026 at 17:00 UTC.
- Bell adds muxed contract addresses, post-quantum ML-DSA checks in Soroban contracts and millisecond ledger timing.
Stellar (XLM) activated its Protocol 30 upgrade, codenamed Bell, on testnet on November 4, 2026, according to the Stellar Development Foundation. Validators vote on mainnet activation on November 23 at 17:00 UTC. Bell covers three changes: muxed contract addresses, post-quantum signature verification in Soroban contracts and millisecond ledger timing.
What Bell Changes in Stellar Smart Contracts
The upgrade ships three proposals, CAP-84, CAP-87 and CAP-88. CAP-84 adds muxed contract addresses, so exchanges, custodians and payment providers can manage balances for many customers through a single smart contract. A contract address can carry a 64-bit identifier for the intended customer, instead of one contract per user. The new addresses begin with the letter W.
Stellar already supported muxed accounts for deposits, letting exchanges receive funds from different customers into one account while identifying each user with a separate ID. Smart accounts, which use programmable contracts to control spending permissions, did not have that capability. Businesses using them generally needed a separate contract to distinguish customer balances, which the Bell upgrade removes.
How Post-Quantum Checks Work
CAP-87 adds ML-DSA post-quantum signature verification inside Soroban smart contracts, so contracts can check signatures designed to resist quantum computers. Network transaction signatures stay on Ed25519. CAP-88 records ledger closing times in milliseconds, which prepares the network for faster processing in later upgrades without changing ledger closing times yet.
What Happens before the November 23 Vote
The upgrade is designed to help businesses manage customer funds through smart accounts while preparing the network for quantum-resistant security and faster transaction processing, according to the Stellar Development Foundation. Wallet providers, exchanges and infrastructure operators across the Stellar ecosystem must update their software for the new address format and ledger data changes before mainnet activation.
The testnet activation followed a validator vote on November 3, 2026 at 17:00 UTC. The mainnet vote runs at the same time on November 23 and depends on validator approval, per the Stellar Development Foundation announcement. Traders can follow the token on the Stellar price chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Is the Stellar Bell Mainnet Vote?
Stellar validators vote on activating Protocol 30 Bell on mainnet on November 23, 2026 at 17:00 UTC.
What Is Stellar Protocol 30?
Protocol 30, codenamed Bell, is a Stellar upgrade with muxed contract addresses, post-quantum signature checks in Soroban contracts and millisecond ledger timing. It went live on testnet on November 4, 2026.
What Are Muxed Contract Addresses?
Muxed contract addresses let one smart contract hold balances for many customers using a 64-bit identifier per customer. The new addresses begin with the letter W.
Does Bell Make Stellar Quantum-Proof?
No. Bell adds ML-DSA post-quantum signature verification inside smart contracts only. Network transaction signatures still use Ed25519.
Do XLM Holders Need to Do Anything for Bell?
No action is needed for most holders. Wallet providers, exchanges and infrastructure operators must update their software before mainnet activation.
Sources
- Introducing Bell: Protocol 30 on Stellar · Stellar Development Foundation
- Stellar Protocol 30 Bell upgrade goes live on testnet ahead of mainnet vote · crypto.news
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