Stellar provides a decentralized international payment network, which enables fast transactions with low fees. In this post, we’ll explain a bit about the Stellar currency, known as Lumens (XLM), and how to purchase it through a reliable Stellar exchange.
How to Buy Stellar Lumens Summary
The Stellar network is designed to make international payments and currency transfers swift and painless. Confirmations can happen within 3 seconds, and thousands of transactions occur every second.
Here’s how to buy Stellar Lumens (XLM):
- Get a Stellar wallet (Ledger Nano S, Foxlet)
- Get your XLM address
- Go to a Stellar exchange (e.g. CEX.IO)
- Buy XLM via a credit card or a wire transfer
- Send the XLM to your wallet
That’s it! If you want a detailed explanation about Stellar and XLM keep on reading, here’s what I’ll cover:
1. What is Stellar?
The Stellar protocol is basically a fork of Ripple. This means Stellar uses the same basic rules Ripple does with some distinct changes.
The main reason for the Stellar fork was to create a much more altruistic payment network than what Ripple has become.
Ripple is a for-profit company that serves mainly banks and financial institutions. It has raised a lot of money and is very PR and marketing-driven.
Stellar, on the other hand, is a non-profit foundation that raised very little money and aims to be a “Free for all” payment network (similar to Bitcoin’s censorship resistance).
Of course, things have developed since the 2014 fork, but direct comparisons are still easy to see. For example, 100 billion Lumens (also known as XLM), Stellar’s native token, were “pre-mined” and exist today (similar to the supply of Ripple’s XRP).
There are now around 20 billion Lumens in circulation while the Stellar Foundation currently holds the remaining supply.
It is important to understand how the Stellar network operates, including how it affects lumens, before investing.
Generally, both Ripple and Stellar try to solve issues with international payments by allowing users to convert them into digital currency, so they can send them as assets to the receiving party.
To make a payment using Stellar, users must work with a network anchor, which is simply a trusted intermediary that holds and converts funds. Here’s how it works:
Fiat (such as dollars and euros) is sent to an anchor, where it’s exchanged for digital credit. The digital credit is then sent to another anchor that’s trusted by the receiving party, where it will be exchanged back to Fiat.
What are Stellar Lumens Used For?
So where do lumens come in? There is no explicit relationship between the Stellar network and the lumen token. That said, you are not able to participate in the network without holding some tokens.
Lumens are needed for several purposes:
- Help avoid fake accounts on the Stellar network by requiring a 0.5 Lumen deposit for each account on the network.
- When sending transactions through the Stellar network a small transaction fee (0.000001 Lumens) is deducted in Lumens.
- Lumens sometimes facilitate trades between pairs of currencies between which there is not a large direct market, acting as a bridge.
If you are looking at Stellar Lumens as an investment, take a look again. It will draw the same criticisms as Ripple and its native XRP token.
Of course, transactions can be made by using lumens, but it still feels somewhat forced. It is also important to note that it is really an intermediary currency, which people are unlikely to hold for large periods of time.
2. How to Buy Stellar Lumens (XLM)
Step #1 – Get a Stellar Wallet
In order to store your Lumens, you will need a wallet that can hold them. There’s a variety of wallets that support Stellar; however, only a few reputable wallets support both Stellar Lumens and other cryptocurrencies.
Ledger offers two models of secure hardware wallets that can hold lumens. If you’re looking for a wallet that can hold lumens along with other currencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple, you won’t find a better option.
These pocket-sized hardware wallets are basically unhackable, and their user-friendly nature makes for a happy crypto life. The two available models are the Nano S and the Nano X (mobile-compatible).
If you’re not keen on buying a hardware wallet, you can always use Blockchain.com’s wallet. The wallet has a web and mobile version (iOS and Android). It can store Stellar Lumens, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and USD Pax (a stablecoin).
Once you have your wallet, you will need an XLM address. Your XLM address is a long string of characters all uppercase, that start with a “G”. For example:
GBPKZNCATMXQZZ622GZ57732XEVJCB7DDFLTJP2FXFOTJROELFNQIVSC
Step 2: Buy Stellar Lumens
Lumens carry the ticker symbol XLM, so look for this symbol or the coin name Stellar Lumen if you are looking to pick this coin up. Here are some of the places we recommend for purchasing XLM:
Etoro disclaimer:
Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.
Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk.
Buy Crypto with Best Wallet
Best Wallet is our top pick for users looking for the easiest way to buy crypto directly within a wallet. Best Wallet allows users to buy, sell, and swap crypto from directly within the wallet using the built-in DEX-aggregator.
The reason we recommend Best Wallet for new users and those looking for the most friction-free way to buy digital assets is that by purchasing crypto from directly within a wallet, users lower their risk of exposing themselves to exchange hacks, third-party risks, and the possibility of sending to incorrect addresses when withdrawing from a traditional crypto exchange. The Best Wallet DEX aggregator sources the best rates for users’ swaps, supporting 50+ chains, connecting to over 200 decentralized exchanges, and using up to 20 cross-chain bridges. Users can make both same-chain and cross-chain swaps.
Visit Best WalletBuy Stellar Lumens through eToro
The easiest way to buy Stellar Lumens would be through eToro’s Stellar trading platform.
eToro is a user-friendly Stellar exchange, ideal for those looking to trade Lumens without holding the actual tokens. It’s important to make a distinction between exchanges that help you buy and hold your own Lumens, and platforms like eToro that allow users to make money off the price changes but are less friendly towards withdrawing the coins.
In other words, using eToro is more recommended for people who wish to buy/sell Lumens for fiat currency (i.e. Dollars, Euros, etc.) in order to make a profit. However, US customers can only invest in Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Bitcoin Cash.
Due to the above, if you use eToro you don’t actually need a Stellar wallet as you probably won’t withdraw the actual coin.
eToro disclaimer: Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk.
Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn moreBuy Stellar Lumens through CEX.IO
The fastest way to purchase Stellar Lumens (XLM) would be with a credit card via CEX.IO.
The London-based veteran cryptocurrency exchange has been around since 2013 and offers a fast & convenient way to purchase Stellar Lumens.
CEX.IO is a versatile Stellar exchange that supports multiple deposit methods. CEX can accept deposits via a credit card, debit card, SEPA and wire transfer. You can read my full review of CEX.IO here.
Buy Stellar Lumens through Coinbase
Coinbase allows you to buy Stellar Lumens through their brokerage service or their trading platform (Coinbase Advanced). The brokerage service is faster and more convenient for new users but has more fees.
Advanced users are better off using the trading platform to save a bit on fees.
Coinbase accepts debit cards, wire transfers and domestic transfers and is available in 103 states around the world. You can read my complete Coinbase review here.
Buy Stellar With Bitcoin or Ethereum (trade BTC/ETH for XLM)
It may be easier to buy Bitcoin or Ethereum and trade it for XLM. If you already own Bitcoin (BTC) or Ether (ETH) you can also trade them for XLM on crypto to crypto exchanges like Binance.
Here’s how to get XLM on Binance:
- Sign up to Binance
- Go to “Funds” -> “Deposits” and fund BTC to your account
- Wait for the BTC to arrive at your account
- Go to “Exchange” -> “Basic”
- Select XLM/BTC
- Choose “market order”
- Enter the amount of XLM to buy
- Click “Buy XLM”
Additional Ways to Buy Stellar
For more advanced users, there’s the option to use Kraken, a Bitcoin exchange that has expanded its currency selection and is a popular option, although the system can sometimes be quite latent. Kraken accepts only wire transfers.
Other reputable exchanges that support the trading of BTC or ETH to XLM include Bittrex, and Poloniex.
You can also buy Stellar using PayPal and debit or credit cards on supported exchanges, and we’ll walk you through how to do so below.
How to Buy Stellar with PayPal
To buy Stellar using PayPal, follow these steps:
- Find a Compatible Exchange: Choose an exchange that lets its users buy Stellar/XLM with PayPal, such as Kraken, Paybis, or Zengo.
- Create an Account: Register and verify your account once you’ve chosen a crypto exchange.
- Select PayPal: Choose PayPal as your preferred payment method.
- Buy Stellar/XLM: To purchase this crypto, select Stellar/XLM, choose how much you want, and follow the instructions on the exchange.
How to Buy Stellar with Debit/Credit Card
To buy Stellar using a debit or credit card, follow the step-by-step guide below:
- Choose a Crypto Exchange: Choose an exchange that enables debit or credit card payments for buying Stellar/XLM, such as Changelly, Best Wallet, or Nexo.
- Create an Account: Sign up, verify your account, and complete any KYC processes if needed.
- Choose Card Payments: Select credit or debit card as your payment method and then enter your details.
- Buy Stellar/XLM: When choosing the crypto to buy, choose Stellar/XLM and follow the instructions.
Step 3: Withdraw your Lumens
If you bought Stellar Lumens from an exchange, make sure to withdraw them to your own wallet. Keeping your lumens on an exchange exposes you to the risk of hacks, theft, and insolvency (on the exchange’s part).
Once you see the Lumens in your wallet you can safely say you’ve completed the process of buying XLM.
3. Conclusion
Buying XLM is a bit more complex than most other popular cryptocurrencies out there; however, with the variety of exchanges around today, the whole process shouldn’t take too long.
Stellar and XLM are considered to be the “good” twin sister for Ripple and XRP. The company has shown considerable progress since it began in 2014; however, it’s unclear if investing in XLM is actually a good move since there is no direct use of XLM in the Stellar network.
Have you had any experience with Stellar Lumens? Are you interested in learning more about the future potential of Stellar Lumens? Do you still have questions? Let me know in the comment section below.
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