How to Buy Stellar Lumens (XLM) in 2025

Created by Ripple co-founder Jed McCaleb and Joyce Kim, Stellar is a decentralized payment network created to facilitate peer-to-peer, low-cost cross-border transactions. Stellar uses Stellar Lumens (XLM), the network’s native cryptocurrency, for transaction fees and to maintain minimum balance requirements on the network.

Since its creation, XLM has remained one of the most popular cryptocurrencies in the world. It’s available on a number of centralized and decentralized exchanges, but not everybody understands exactly how to buy Stellar Lumens tokens in 2025.

Below, I’ll explain exactly where and how to buy XLM, exploring some of the best options available to both new and more experienced investors.

An Overview of How to Buy XLM in 5 Steps

If you’re wondering how to buy Stellar Lumens (XLM), the process is as follows:

1. Find an exchange – Find a centralized exchange (CEX) that suits you
2. Create an account – Create (and verify) your account
3. Link your payment method – Link your preferred payment method to your new account
4. Buy XLM – Visit the “Steller (XLM)” market page, click “Buy” and decide how many tokens to purchase
5. Store your XLM safely – Transfer your new XLM tokens to a secure private wallet

Where to Buy Stellar Lumens with USD

The easiest way to buy Stellar Lumens as a beginner is to use USD. Most centralized crypto exchanges offer payments in USD and even in other currencies such as GBP and AUD.

1. Coinbase

Coinbase is one of the most popular centralized exchanges for those based in the US, although it’s also available to investors around the world. It’s incredibly user-friendly and enables the buying, selling, swapping and trading of cryptocurrencies, including Stellar Lumens (XLM). In fact, there are more than 250 different cryptocurrencies available on Coinbase!

Coinbase is accessible on both Android and iOS devices thanks to the Coinbase mobile app, although it can also be accessed via a laptop browser. Also, if you’re new to investing and still not sure how to buy XLM, Coinbase has a huge range of educational resources on offer.

This exchange might have more limited trading tools compared to some of the other platforms on our list, but Coinbase allows users to choose trading features that match their experience level. For example, Coinbase’s Advanced Trade platform is home to a number of more complicated trading features that would better suit investors with a greater understanding of the crypto market.

2. Binance

Binance has more than 250 million users, making it one of the most widely-used exchanges in the world. It’s hardly surprising that Binance has managed to capture such a large percentage of the market, offering more than 500 different cryptocurrencies, including XLM.

There are different versions of the Binance platform available, meaning that more experienced investors can take advantage of more complex features and tools, while newer investors can simply buy Stellar Lumens with ease. If you’re wondering how to buy Stellar Lumens using leverage, Binance could be a good option, enabling users to invest using up to 75x leverage.

Binance has deep liquidity, making it really easy to quickly buy and sell XLM. This can also be done by swapping XLM for fiat currencies or by exchanging XLM for another cryptocurrency.

3. Kraken

If you’re new to cryptocurrencies and have no idea how to buy XLM, Kraken could be your best option. Highly secure and home to almost 300 cryptocurrencies, Kraken makes it incredibly easy to buy and sell your favorite crypto tokens.

Regulated in both the UK and the US, and available in over 190 countries, Kraken is a globally accessible crypto exchange. Not only that, Kraken also has relatively low fees compared to other exchanges on this list, making it a more affordable option for investors with less funds. When trading on Kraken, users can trade with up to 5x leverage, although the maximum leverage for futures trading is higher. 

Kraken has an app for iOS and Android devices, as well as a comprehensive educational platform called “Kraken Learn”. Here, users can find out more about the crypto market, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and blockchain technology.

4. Revolut

Revolut is one of the most affordable methods for buying Stellar Lumens. Facilitating fast, affordable and straightforward crypto trades, users can buy XLM on Revolut without hassle. Alternatively, if you’re looking to buy other altcoins, Revolut allows you to buy and sell more than 200 different tokens, all of which have been extensively vetted before listing.

If you’re interested in learning how to buy XLM and have more experience as a trader, Revolut X is a platform with advanced trading tools and enhanced analytics. If you’re still relatively new to crypto, the regular Revolut platform is perfectly user-friendly.

It’s possible to buy XLM using 36 different fiat currencies, including the US Dollar (USD), Norwegian Krone (NOK) and Canadian Dollar (CAD). Depending on your Revolut plan, you can also potentially purchase XLM for zero fees, or dollar cost average (DCA) into XLM on a monthly basis.

5. Uphold

Uphold may be less popular than some of the other exchanges on our list, but if you’re wondering how to buy Stellar Lumens with USD, it’s definitely an option worth exploring.

Described as “The Home for Altcoins”, Uphold allows users to buy XLM (and other cryptocurrencies) using a range of different payment methods, including bank transfer and credit card. Uphold also offers a secure, mobile-accessible wallet, which investors can use to store and trade their XLM tokens.

The process of buying Stellar Lumens on Uphold is very beginner-friendly, with the platform claiming that it’s possible to invest in cryptocurrency with just 11 clicks – even if you’ve never previously created an account!

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Uphold prides itself on its security and transparency. Not only are all assets held in reserve, but Uphold also publishes its assets and liabilities every 30 seconds.

How to Buy Stellar Lumens (XLM) on Coinbase

Interested in learning how to buy Stellar Lumens with USD on Coinbase? Thankfully, the process is relatively straightforward.

Step 1: Create an account

First, you’ll need to create a Coinbase account if you don’t already have one. To do this, click “Sign Up”. From here, you’ll need to add in your personal information – name, email address, home address, etc. – and verify your identity by completing Coinbase’s Know Your Customer (KYC) checks. These checks will typically involve submitting a photograph of your passport and/or driving license.

When creating an account on Coinbase, you’ll also need to answer a few questions about your investment intentions and your understanding of the regulations associated with the cryptocurrency market. This is to ensure that you understand the risks of trading crypto.

Step 2: Connect a payment method to your account

Connect a payment method to your Coinbase account. To do this, click “Settings” and navigate to the “Payment Methods” section. From here, you’ll be able to add a payment method of your choosing – or multiple, if you want access to more than one.

Step 3: Search for XLM

Search for the “Stellar Lumens (XLM)” market page by using the Coinbase search function. Click on the first option that comes up and you’ll be taken to the Stellar Lumens page.

Step 4: Buy Stellar Lumens 

To buy Stellar Lumens tokens on Coinbase, click “Buy” and decide whether you want to complete a “One-Time Order” – simply buy XLM tokens once – or set up a “Recurring Buy” – buying a specific number of XLM tokens on a consistent basis.

Assuming you’re placing a one-time order, you’ll then need to choose your payment method, selecting any of those that you added to your account earlier in the process. Decide how many XLM tokens you want to purchase or how much of your local currency you want to spend.

Click “Review Order” and make sure you’re happy with the exchange rate, transaction details and any fees that you might be charged. Confirm your purchase and wait for your new tokens to arrive in your Coinbase wallet. For safekeeping, send your XLM to a private crypto wallet using Coinbase’s “Send” feature.

How to Buy Stellar Lumens with a Credit Card

Are you interested in learning how to buy Stellar Lumens with a credit card? To do so, you’ll need to find a centralized exchange that allows you to make payments using a credit or debit card. For example, Coinbase and Binance both allow you to use credit cards to purchase cryptocurrencies.

Once you’ve found an exchange, create an account and connect your card to the account. Then, find the XLM page and follow the exchange’s purchase process, selecting “Credit Card” as the payment method when it comes to finalizing the transaction.

How to Buy Stellar Lumens Anonymously 

Anonymity is one of the greatest elements of the cryptocurrency space. With that in mind, it’s likely that you’ll want to know how to buy Stellar Lumens anonymously, without revealing any of your personal information.

Changelly

Changelly is perhaps the best option available to investors looking to buy XLM anonymously. It’s a global decentralized exchange that allows users to exchange Bitcoin and more than 500 different altcoins with ease. It offers 24/7 live support, fantastic market rates and fast transactions.

The buying process is also really simple. Click “Buy” and you’ll be taken to the appropriate page. At this point, you’ll need to select your trading pair – this will involve the fiat currency that you want to use to make the purchase and the cryptocurrency that you’re interested in buying which is, in this case, XLM.

Input the amount of your local currency that you want to spend and Changelly will automatically work out how many XLM tokens you’ll receive given the current exchange rate. Click “Buy XLM now” and you’ll be taken to the next page, which will allow you to choose a payment method, including VISA, MasterCard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and ACH.

Depending on the payment method you’ve chosen, Changelly will provide you a range of providers to pick from, with some offering better exchange rates than others. Select the one that suits you and add your wallet address. With Stellar Lumens, you’ll need to specify a “Memo.ID” if your wallet requires it.

Agree to the terms of use and the privacy policy, and then click “Buy XLM”.

KuCoin

KuCoin is one of the world’s largest centralized exchanges. Users can use more than 70 different payment methods to buy XLM, with KuCoin always having Proof of Reserves (PoR) for all assets held on the platform.

It’s not possible to buy XLM anonymously on KuCoin – although you can trade certain cryptocurrencies on a peer-to-peer (P2P basis – as the platform requires you to verify your identity. However, once you’ve created an account, it’s easy to buy Stellar Lumens tokens.

How to Withdraw or Sell Stellar Lumens

So, you know how to buy Stellar tokens, but do you know how to sell your XLM and withdraw any profits? Regardless of whether you want to sell your Stellar Lumens tokens and then buy a different cryptocurrency or you want to sell them and withdraw your funds, the start of the process will be the same:

1. Choose an exchange – Ideally, you’ll want to choose a centralized exchange as this is the easiest way of exchanging your XLM to fiat.
2. Create an account – Create an account at your chosen exchange and verify your identity.
3. Transfer your XLM – Assuming that you’re storing your XLM tokens in a crypto wallet, you’ll need to transfer them to the centralized exchange. Copy down the exchange’s wallet address and use this to transfer your XLM tokens from your private wallet using the wallet’s “Send” function.

Selling Stellar Lumens

Once your XLM tokens are on the exchange, you’ll need to access your holdings by visiting “My Assets”, or something similar. Click on your XLM holdings and then click “Sell”.

Here, you’ll be able to sell your XLM tokens for a fiat currency of your choosing, assuming it’s offered by the exchange in question.

Decide how many tokens you want to sell – although you can typically click “Max” or “All” if you want to sell every XLM token you own – and then make sure you’re happy with the exchange rate and any fees charged by the exchange. 

Confirm the transaction and you’ll receive your chosen fiat currency into your account. Now, you can either use these funds to purchase a different cryptocurrency, leave them in your account, or withdraw them.

Withdrawing Stellar Lumens

If you’ve decided you want to withdraw any capital that you had locked into Stellar Lumens, you’ll want to sell your XLM tokens for fiat currency on your chosen centralized exchange. Once you’ve done so, you’ll have the equivalent amount of fiat in your account.

Now, click “Withdraw” and choose your preferred payment method. Decide which percentage of your funds you want to withdraw and follow the necessary steps to complete the transaction. You may need to pay a withdrawal fee or wait a period of time for the withdrawal to be complete, but this will depend on the exchange and the payment method you’ve chosen.

Things to Know Before You Buy Stellar Lumens

There are a lot of things to be aware of before you buy XLM. Yes, you know how to buy Stellar Lumens, but you should never just rush into a purchase without fully understanding how the cryptocurrency market works.

Crypto exchange fees

Cryptocurrency exchanges – especially centralized exchanges – will charge fees for transactions. These transactions will vary depending on the exchange you’re using, but they won’t always be entirely transparent. In fact, some exchanges make it difficult to understand how much you’ll be charged for buying XLM tokens and others will charge you significant amounts for completing the transaction.

Make sure you understand how the fees attached to your preferred exchange work before you create and fund your account. Certain exchanges will charge you a fee for making a deposit, buying and selling cryptocurrency, and withdrawing funds. On the other hand, there are some exchanges that will charge minimal fees, and others that will provide the opportunity for members to earn reduced fees by signing up for advanced trading features.

The importance of storing your XLM in a wallet

Most centralized exchanges will allow you to store XLM on their platform, but this isn’t recommended. Instead, you should transfer your Stellar Lumens tokens to a personal crypto wallet for safekeeping.

There are several reasons for storing your XLM in a private wallet:

• More control – When you leave your XLM on an exchange, you don’t have complete control over your assets. Instead, the exchange maintains custody of your private keys. If you store your XLM separately, you can do what you want with it.
• Additional security – Storing your XLM in a wallet provides much greater security. Crypto wallets safeguard your private keys which are used to access your crypto holdings.
• Greater privacy – Some wallets offer enhanced privacy features, allowing users to create a wallet without giving away personal information. When you keep your XLM on an exchange, the exchange can see exactly what you’re doing with your funds – storing them in a private wallet will give you greater financial privacy.

The risks of buying cryptocurrency online 

Investing in crypto can be incredibly risky, even if you’re buying something with a proven track record such as XLM:

• Volatility – Cryptocurrencies are more volatile than any other asset class. This means that you could buy XLM one day and watch its price fall by more than 20% the next. Make sure you understand that there’s potential for you to lose all of your money when investing in crypto.
• Hacks and scams – Unfortunately, the crypto and Web3 space is full of malicious players that try to steal funds from users. Never give away your personal information or private keys, and don’t trust anybody that offers to help you make more money. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
• Lack of regulation – Cryptocurrencies are widely unregulated, which means that you’ll have limited support and protection when investing in XLM. If, for example, you send your XLM to the wrong wallet address, it’s incredibly unlikely that you’ll ever be able to recover those funds.

Final Thoughts

Stellar Lumens was created in 2014 with the intention of creating a decentralized payment network that made financial transactions more accessible and affordable. Since its inception, it has experienced mainstream adoption and increasing popularity amongst investors.

With this in mind, there are now hundreds of retailers that allow you to buy XLM tokens. Now you know how to buy Stellar Lumens, it’s incredibly important that you do so safely; take your time to find the right platform and never invest more capital than you can realistically afford to lose.

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