Key Takeaways
Stellar (XLM) has struggled to regain upside momentum after dropping roughly 30% over the past month.
This has occurred despite optimism around the recent CME futures launch, which briefly lifted sentiment.
However, the development proved short-lived, as XLM’s price failed to build on its initial bounce.
Instead of sparking a structural reversal, the launch coincided with renewed selling pressure. As a result, XLM has been trapped below key resistance levels, raising questions about what lies ahead for price action.
Here is what could be next for the altcoin.
On the 4-hour chart, the Directional Movement Index (DMI) clarifies XLM’s fading recovery attempts.
The negative -DMI (red) holds at 28.78, well above the positive +DMI (blue) at 14.25, signaling a clear bearish advantage.
Each short-lived bounce meets renewed selling pressure, reinforcing the downtrend rather than weakening it.
The Average Directional Index (ADX) sits near 24.90, suggesting the bearish trend remains strong even if momentum is not accelerating aggressively.
Furthermore, the Money Flow Index (MFI) further supports this outlook. Hovering around 40.52, the MFI reflects weak buying volume as momentum repeatedly stalls.
Structurally, XLM’s price continues to trade below the descending trendline resistance while leaning on horizontal support near $0.15.
Looking closely, this zone has absorbed multiple sell-offs, but repeated tests increase the risk of a breakdown.

Thus, a move below $0.15 could expose the $0.13 region, where the lower boundary of the descending channel aligns with prior demand.
In addition, unless buyers reclaim the $0.18 resistance range and break above the channel structure, XLM’s price might remain vulnerable to further downside.
Interestingly, this move occurred amid the CME Group’s rollout of futures on Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar (XLM).
Specifically, they began trading on Feb. 9 in both standard and micro contract sizes, broadening regulated exposure to major altcoins and offering capital-efficient hedging and trading tools.
“Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar futures are now available to trade. Expand your trading strategy with the capital efficiency and flexibility of these new contracts, available in both larger and micro sizes.” CME stated,
Despite the launch, XLM’s price remained largely muted, underscoring that the derivatives’ debut alone did not spark a strong spot market rally.
According to CCN’s findings, this is largely due to extreme market fear. Assuming broader market conditions were better, XLM’s price might have risen by double digits.
As stated earlier, the announcement initially sparked optimism, reflected in a brief green candle.
But the rally quickly fizzled as XLM hit strong resistance at $0.17. Traders appear cautious, with the futures launch driving headlines more than immediate spot demand.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is near the oversold zone, suggesting selling pressure may be nearing exhaustion. However, a relief bounce requires a rebound above neutral levels with improving volume.
Without that confirmation, XLM’s price risks lingering in weak territory, leaving the price exposed to further downside.
The Awesome Oscillator (AO) has also flipped green while remaining in negative territory, signaling that bearish momentum is weakening rather than reversing.
This shift suggests potential short-term stabilization.
At the time of writing, XLM trades around $0.16 within a descending channel, sitting just above the zero Fib level.

A break below this point would likely accelerate losses toward $0.14, while a move above could push XLM price past $0.23.