Edited By
Sarah Johnson

A significant shift in European financial markets is underway as 21X, a regulated financial platform from Frankfurt, has activated its trading infrastructure for tokenized securities on the Stellar network. This marks a notable change, as 21X is the first fully regulated system in the EU for Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) trading and settlement, authorized under the European pilot regime.
21X is not just another crypto exchange. Its introduction allows European financial institutions to
List tokenized securities
Trade on a regulated platform
Settle transactions on-chain with minimal risk
All utilizing MiCAR-compliant stablecoins, maintaining alignment with European regulations.
"This isnโt just about crypto; itโs about legitimate market operations using Stellar for compliance and reliability," stated Denelle Dixon from the Stellar Development Foundation.
Unlike unregulated DeFi options, the infrastructure offered by 21X provides a clear path for European entities to engage in real capital markets. Important features include:
On-chain order books
Deterministic matching
Atomic delivery versus payment (DvP), eliminating counterparty risk
These innovations aim to enhance efficiency in trading compared to traditional exchanges, which often rely on slower, costlier processes.
Stellar continues to gain traction with real-world assets (RWA), having already tokenized over $640 million on its network. Additionally, it reported $5.4 billion in cross-border RWA volume just in Q3 2025. The stablecoin ecosystem on Stellar is crafted for institutional use, reflecting a serious commitment to monetizing tangible assets.
Whatโs next? The arrival of the first Stellar-based listings on the 21X platform is expected by spring 2026.
Comments surrounding 21X's announcement reveal mixed sentiments:
Some individuals are skeptical. "Y el precio baja y baja," suggesting worries about price declines amid the news.
Others are optimistic about wealth creation. "Do you know 80% of how people get rich?" hints at potential financial opportunities.
๐น Groundbreaking move for Stellar in mainstream finance
๐ธ High demand for tokenized securities in Europe
โญ๏ธ โThis sets the stage for others to followโ - community response
As financial markets evolve, it appears Stellar's role in supporting regulated trading could be pivotal. This isn't just noise in the crypto world; it could very well signal the beginning of broader adoption of blockchain technologies in established financial systems.
Thereโs a strong chance that as 21X continues to grow, we might see an expanded range of financial instruments being traded on the Stellar network. Given the current enthusiasm around tokenized securities, experts estimate around a 70% probability that other European financial institutions will follow suit and join this regulated platform by the end of 2027. This could create a significant shift toward greater adoption of blockchain technology in traditional finance. Additionally, as the infrastructure proves its reliability, there's a likelihood of increasing interest from global investors, making the Stellar network a prominent player in international trading environments.
A curious parallel can be drawn to the early days of the internet, particularly during the dot-com boom of the late 1990s. Just as companies began transitioning from physical stores to online platforms, the financial world today is witnessing a similar shift toward digital assets and tokenized securities. Many people were skeptical then, unsure of this new digital frontierโmuch like today's apprehensions about blockchain technology. Yet, those who embraced the change thrived, ultimately reshaping commerce and communication in ways previously thought impossible. The trajectory of 21X and Stellar could very well emulate this transformative journey, ultimately leading to a more integrated and efficient financial landscape.