Stellar Sets November 23 Mainnet Vote for the Bell Protocol 30 Upgrade
Stellar's Bell upgrade goes to a mainnet validator vote on November 23, bringing post-quantum signature checks, muxed contract addresses and millisecond timing to the network.
Key Takeaways
- Stellar validators vote on the Bell (Protocol 30) mainnet upgrade on November 23, 2026 at 17:00 UTC.
- Bell adds ML-DSA post-quantum signature verification for Soroban smart contracts, muxed contract addresses and millisecond ledger close times.
- The upgrade passed its testnet vote on November 3 and has run on testnet since.
- Wallets, exchanges and indexers must update SDKs and XDR definitions before the mainnet vote. Holders need to do nothing.
Stellar (XLM) validators will vote on November 23 at 17:00 UTC to activate Bell, the network's Protocol 30 upgrade. The upgrade adds quantum-resistant signature checks for smart contracts, a new contract address type and millisecond timing for ledger closes. Bell has run on the testnet since November 3.
What Bell Adds To Stellar
Bell ships three changes. CAP-87 brings ML-DSA signature verification, the post-quantum standard published by NIST as FIPS 204, to Soroban smart contracts. Contracts gain the ability to verify signatures designed to withstand attacks from quantum computers.
CAP-84 adds muxed contract addresses. One smart contract or smart account can serve many customers, with a 64-bit multiplexing ID attached to each transfer. The new address type carries the W strkey prefix defined in SEP-23.
CAP-88 moves ledger close times to millisecond resolution, so payments and smart contracts get more precise timestamps. All three changes are additive, and existing Soroban contracts keep working without modification.
The November 23 Validator Vote
The mainnet upgrade vote follows the testnet vote on November 3, when Bell went live on testnet. The official Bell upgrade guide sets the mainnet vote for November 23 at 17:00 UTC. If validators approve, Protocol 30 activates on mainnet the same day.
Stellar Core v30.0.0, the release behind Bell, shipped on October 16. Bell changes the ledger header format, so software built on older definitions may fail to read Protocol 30 ledgers.
What Wallets And Exchanges Must Do
Wallets, ramps and issuers must upgrade to the latest SDKs before the vote and accept the new W address type in validation, display and storage. Exchanges and custodians must add support for withdrawals to muxed contract addresses. Indexers and explorers must update their XDR definitions before the upgrade.
No action is needed for holders. XLM traded near $0.14 this week, according to the Stellar price chart on Coinranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Is the Stellar Bell Protocol 30 Mainnet Upgrade Vote?
November 23, 2026 at 17:00 UTC. If validators approve, Protocol 30 activates on mainnet the same day.
What Does the Bell Upgrade Add to Stellar?
Three changes: ML-DSA post-quantum signature checks for Soroban smart contracts, muxed contract addresses that let one contract serve many customers, and millisecond-resolution ledger close times.
Do Stellar Holders Need to Do Anything before the Bell Upgrade?
No. XLM holders need to take no action. Wallets, exchanges and infrastructure providers are the ones that must update their software before November 23.
Do Stellar Smart Contracts Have to Change for Bell?
No. Existing Soroban contracts keep working unchanged after the upgrade. The new features are opt-in and only available when a contract is rebuilt against the Protocol 30 Soroban SDK.
What Is a Muxed Contract Address on Stellar?
It is a contract address with a 64-bit multiplexing ID attached, using the new W strkey prefix. It lets one smart contract or smart account serve many customers while transfers still show exactly where they went.
Sources
- Bell, Protocol 30 Upgrade Guide · Stellar Development Foundation
- Stellar Core v30.0.0 · Stellar
- Prices and market data · Coinranking
