MoneyGram, Figure Markets, and Range Join Stellar as Tier 1 Validators, Betting on Blockchain Payments

MoneyGram, Figure Markets, and digital asset platform Range have joined the Stellar network as Tier 1 validators, the Stellar Development Foundation confirmed today. The three firms will run infrastructure that confirms transactions on the network, taking on operational and reputational responsibility for the chain's reliability.

Why It Matters

Becoming a Tier 1 validator is not a symbolic gesture. Validators process every transaction, earn the associated fees, and lose staked capital if they act dishonestly. Putting a regulated money-transmitter and two capital-markets platforms in that role is a concrete commitment to the network's continued operation — and a signal to enterprise customers that the chain is ready for production payments.

「We are not here to experiment. We are here because we expect this to be a meaningful part of our payment infrastructure over the next decade,」 said a MoneyGram spokesperson.

The Stack Coming Together

Stellar's enterprise positioning has accelerated over the past eighteen months. Cross-border payment corridors built on the network — most prominently the MoneyGram-on-Stellar integration that launched in late 2024 — have moved from pilot to volume. Stablecoin issuers including Circle and Franklin Templeton's BENJI have shipped native Stellar versions of their tokens. And the network's new soroban smart-contract runtime has opened the door to programmable money products that were not previously possible on the chain.

Competitive Context

The move comes as the broader blockchain-payments landscape consolidates around a small number of credible enterprise chains. Ripple's XRP-focused suite, Tron for USDT flows, and a handful of permissioned networks remain the main incumbents. Stellar's pitch — a public, low-fee, regulator-friendly network with deep payments DNA — has resonated with remittance, B2B, and tokenized-real-world-asset issuers. Adding three high-profile validators is intended to close the credibility gap with the larger players.

The next test is volume. With the validators live and the institutional backing in place, enterprise customers will be watching whether the network can absorb payments flows at scale without congestion or fee spikes.