Stellar Adds 3 Tier 1 Validators To Strengthen Network Security

By Amrin Sanjay | Edited By Ammar Raza,July 16, 2026, 7:00 PM

The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) has announced that MoneyGram, Figure Markets, and Range will become Tier 1 validators on the Stellar blockchain.

The addition expands the network’s validator infrastructure while strengthening decentralization and improving fault tolerance for a blockchain increasingly focused on regulated financial services.

3 Organizations Join Stellar’s Tier 1 Validator Network

According to the Stellar Development Foundation, Tier 1 validators operate multiple geographically distributed full validator nodes that participate in the Stellar Consensus Protocol.

Unlike proof-of-stake networks that reward validators financially, its Tier 1 participants help maintain network security, availability, and consensus without direct validator incentives.

Jose Fernandez da Ponte, President and Chief Growth Officer at the SDF, said the protocol gives institutions greater operational control. He said, “The Stellar network’s proof-of-agreement consensus lets any institution run a publicly identifiable validator and choose exactly whom to trust.” He added that the inclusion of MoneyGram, Figure Markets, and Range makes it an even better network for regulated finance to run on.

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Institutional Validators Improve Network Resilience

Adding new Tier 1 validators increases Stellar’s fault tolerance by reducing the risk of network disruption if multiple validator operators experience outages simultaneously. The move also broadens the diversity of industries, infrastructure providers, and geographic regions participating in consensus.

Justin Rice, Vice President of Ecosystem Growth at the SDF, emphasized that the new operators have already built businesses on the network rather than joining as passive participants. He said, “The organizations stepping up to run Tier 1 validators are not passive participants… they have a direct stake in the network’s long-term security and neutrality.”

MoneyGram and Figure Markets Expand Existing Roles

MoneyGram has worked with the network since 2021, supporting blockchain-powered cash on-and-off ramps and consumer digital dollar services. The company said operating a validator represents a deeper commitment to infrastructure supporting global payments.

Luke Tuttle, Chief Product and Technology Officer at MoneyGram, stated: “Becoming a Stellar validator deepens our commitment to the ecosystem and reinforces our belief that the future of payments will be built on open, interoperable infrastructure.”

Figure Markets also joins the validator set while continuing to expand regulated financial products on it, including its $YLDS stablecoin initiative.

Meanwhile, blockchain security company Range brings expertise gained from monitoring more than 200 blockchain networks and securing over $30 billion in digital assets, according to the company.

4 Requirements Define Tier 1 Validator Eligibility

The SDF said organizations must satisfy strict operational requirements before qualifying as Tier 1 validators. These include operating three geographically distributed full validators, maintaining at least 99.9% uptime, completing SEP-1 and SEP-20 verification, and actively participating in network upgrades alongside existing Tier 1 members.

The new validators are expected to be fully integrated into its quorum configuration by mid-August. For institutions evaluating blockchain infrastructure, the expansion demonstrates its continued focus on governance, operational reliability, and enterprise adoption as regulated digital asset activity continues to grow globally.

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