Stellar Network Upgrade Sparks XLM Trading Suspensions Amid $0.37 Price Battle

Network upgrades hit turbulence as major exchanges halt XLM trading during critical protocol transition

Price Pressure Mounts

Stellar's native token fights to maintain the $0.37 support level while validators implement the latest consensus upgrade—proving once again that in crypto, even 'scheduled maintenance' comes with unscheduled drama. Trading platforms hit pause buttons across the board, leaving traders watching charts instead of executing orders.

Protocol Pains

The upgrade introduces enhanced smart contract capabilities and lower transaction fees—features that theoretically boost adoption. Yet markets respond with typical crypto impatience: price stagnation and trading freezes. Because nothing says 'decentralized future' like not being able to trade your assets when the network improves.

Another day, another 'upgrade' that temporarily breaks the very system it's supposed to improve—because in cryptocurrency, progress often looks suspiciously like going sideways at $0.37.

Upgrade Triggers, Price Remains

Stellar’s Protocol 23 went live on September 3, aiming to boost scale. But ahead of the upgrade, XLM couldn’t break past $0.37, holding steady in a tight $0.36–$0.37 range despite multiple attempts.

A brief spike to $0.37 was quickly rejected in the final hour before Upbit’s halt, pushing XLM back to $0.36 on higher-than-average volume.

Market watchers flagged the $0.36–$0.37 zone as a battleground for accumulation, with buyers stepping in, but not enough strength to break the ceiling.

Key Levels in Play

The token comes from a high last month after the SEC update, and now markets are focused on $0.45 resistance, denied four times since June, and $0.30–$0.32 support seen as a fallback zone. Analysts view the sideways action as possible institutional positioning, especially with growing interest in CBDCs and enterprise blockchain, where Stellar contends with Hedera and Ripple.

Trading halts during protocol upgrades are uncommon, and often signal that institutions are paying close attention. As Stellar attempts to evolve into a Core player for cross-border payments and CBDCs, the success of Protocol 23 could be a turning point, or another failed breakout.

For now, XLM remains capped, and the next few trading sessions will reveal whether the upgrade marks a launchpad—or a reset.

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