Stellar Sets November 3 Testnet Vote for the Bell Protocol 30 Upgrade
Validators vote on Bell on November 3, with the mainnet vote on November 23. The upgrade adds quantum-safe contract signatures, muxed contract addresses and millisecond ledger timing.
Key Takeaways
- Stellar validators vote on the Bell, Protocol 30 testnet upgrade on November 3, 2026 at 17:00 UTC.
- The mainnet upgrade vote follows on November 23, 2026 at 17:00 UTC.
- Bell adds muxed contract addresses, quantum-safe signature verification for smart contracts and millisecond ledger timing.
- Each upgrade takes effect if its validator vote passes.
Stellar (XLM) validators will vote on November 3 at 17:00 UTC to upgrade the network's testnet to Bell, Protocol 30. The mainnet upgrade vote follows on November 23 at 17:00 UTC, and each upgrade takes effect if its validator vote passes.
What Bell Changes
Bell carries three protocol changes. CAP-84 adds muxed contract addresses for smart contracts, so one contract address can serve many customers while each transfer records a customer ID in the event stream. CAP-87 adds post-quantum signature verification inside smart contracts using ML-DSA, the signature standard already shipping in OpenSSL, Java and AWS key management services. CAP-88 gives the ledger a millisecond clock, removing the technical barrier to faster ledger close times. Blocks do not get faster on their own yet.
For wallets and custodians, the quantum-safe verification is the building block they need before they can offer quantum-safe contract accounts. It is one of several moves by layer 1 blockchains to get ahead of future quantum computers.
The Vote Timeline
The Stellar Development Foundation published the rollout timeline in the Bell announcement on October 20. Testnet validators vote on November 3 and mainnet validators on November 23, both at 17:00 UTC. Builders across the Stellar ecosystem can prepare with the Protocol 30 upgrade guide and the release checklist the foundation published on October 24.
The vote comes as XLM trades near $0.17, according to the Stellar price chart.
Quantum-Safe Signatures, Step By Step
Public keys sit on the ledger in plain view, and migrating a network to new cryptography takes years, so the industry has started early. Bell brings quantum-safe verification to smart contracts first. A quantum-safe signer for classic accounts will come in a future protocol change. The work follows the foundation's quantum preparedness plan, its roadmap for moving the network to post-quantum cryptography.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Is the Stellar Bell Upgrade Vote?
The testnet upgrade vote is on November 3, 2026 at 17:00 UTC. The mainnet upgrade vote follows on November 23, 2026 at 17:00 UTC.
What Does the Bell Upgrade Change?
Bell, Protocol 30, adds muxed contract addresses for smart accounts, post-quantum signature verification in smart contracts and millisecond ledger timing.
Will Stellar Block Times Get Faster after Bell?
Not by itself. The millisecond clock removes a technical barrier so future protocol changes can target faster ledger close times.
Sources
- Introducing Bell, Protocol 30 on Stellar · Stellar Development Foundation
Prices and market data: Coinranking.
