Stellar is getting ready for its next major network upgrade, Protocol 28, also called Adapter. The update mainly focuses on Soroban smart contracts and improving the network’s performance as more applications are built on Stellar.

Easier Smart Contract Updates

One of the main goals of Protocol 28 is to make life easier for developers.

The upgrade will introduce tools that help developers update groups of smart contracts more easily. Instead of updating every contract separately, developers will be able to update shared code more efficiently.

Another improvement focuses on data migration. As applications grow and change, their data sometimes needs to be updated. Protocol 28 aims to make these migrations smoother and reduce the need for major changes to existing applications.

New Address Format

Protocol 28 will also introduce AddressV2, a new authentication and address format for Soroban.

Developers using the older address format will need to update their applications and related tools. The transition is expected to give developers time to make the necessary changes before the new system becomes active.

Focus on Stellar's Smart Contract Network

The upgrade is another step in Stellar's effort to make Soroban more useful for real-world applications, especially financial applications.

Previous protocol updates have also focused on improving network efficiency and Soroban's handling of on-chain data. Protocol 28 continues this work by improving the tools and infrastructure developers rely on.

Important Dates

The next few weeks will be important for Stellar developers and infrastructure providers.

  • August 13: Core stable release
  • August 13–21: Infrastructure and SDK releases
  • August 27 at 17:00 UTC: Planned testnet vote
  • September 16 at 17:00 UTC: Planned mainnet vote

The mainnet activation is not guaranteed, because Stellar upgrades require approval through validator voting.

Developers should therefore test their applications and update their SDKs and dependencies before the voting dates.

What This Means for Stellar

Protocol 28 is mainly a technical upgrade, rather than a change designed directly for users.

If approved and activated as planned, it should make Soroban smart contracts easier to maintain while helping Stellar prepare for more complex applications in the future.

For developers building on Stellar, August and September will be important months as the network moves toward Protocol 28 (Adapter).