"" Stellar Integration Brings Institutional Clout
On July 16, 2026, the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) quietly upgraded its network's backbone by adding MoneyGram, Figure Markets, and Range as Tier 1 validators. This move is expected to wrap up by mid-August 2026 and signifies a deeper institutional push into regulated blockchain payments.
What It Means to Be a Tier 1 Validator
Tier 1 status on Stellar is not a ceremonial title. These validators sit at the top of the trust hierarchy inside the Stellar Consensus Protocol, operating multiple geographically distributed nodes, maintaining uptime of 99.9% or better, publishing complete history archives, and coordinating on system upgrades.
Stellar's Unique Consensus Model
The Stellar Consensus Protocol relies on a web of trusted peer relationships rather than paying validators through block rewards or transaction fees. This means that Tier 1 validators are running expensive infrastructure purely because they have a strategic stake in the network's reliability.
The Firms Behind the Move
MoneyGram has been partnered with Stellar since 2021, with a customer base spanning over 60 million people across more than 200 countries. Figure Markets specializes in regulated yield-bearing asset issuance, including its YLDS stablecoin. Range is the least household-name of the three but arguably the most technically credentialed for this specific role, monitoring and securing assets across more than 200 networks with over $30 billion under its watch.
A Signal of Commitment
The structure of this arrangement is also notable, as these firms are running significant infrastructure with no financial reward from the protocol itself. This kind of commitment is self-selecting for organizations that view Stellar's stability as a business necessity rather than a speculative opportunity.