PwC and Stellar: A Strategic Partnership Driving Blockchain Innovation
PwC’s Growing Ties with Stellar: From Audits to Stablecoin Pilots
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), one of the world’s “Big Four” accounting firms, has forged a meaningful partnership with the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF), the non-profit behind the Stellar ($XLM) blockchain network. This collaboration spans environmental assessments, regulatory compliance consulting, and hands-on pilots for institutional blockchain adoption. While not a single “formal” partnership announcement, PwC’s involvement highlights its role as a trusted advisor in bridging traditional finance (TradFi) with decentralized tech. For crypto newcomers, PwC brings audit rigor and regulatory expertise to Stellar’s fast, low-cost payments network, making it appealing for banks and enterprises. As of November 2025, these efforts underscore PwC’s commitment to blockchain sustainability and innovation.
Key Collaboration 1: PwC’s Environmental Impact Framework for Stellar (2023-Ongoing)
In 2023, SDF commissioned PwC US to develop a first-of-its-kind framework assessing blockchain protocols’ electricity consumption and emissions. PwC benchmarked Stellar’s footprint against peers, emphasizing its energy-efficient Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP). The report covered electricity use, greenhouse gas emissions, e-waste, and consensus differences. Stellar’s SCP, a federated Byzantine agreement, consumes far less energy than proof-of-work chains like Bitcoin, aligning with ESG standards. As PwC’s analysis found, Stellar processes billions of operations annually with minimal carbon impact, supporting over 200 entities in remittances and RWAs. This framework isn’t just data; it’s a tool for financial services to measure and reduce blockchain’s environmental toll. SDF uses it to advocate for green protocols, positioning Stellar as a sustainable choice for global payments.
Key Collaboration 2: U.S. Bancorp Stablecoin Pilot with PwC and SDF (November 2025)
PwC is actively partnering with SDF and U.S. Bancorp, America’s fifth-largest bank with $671 billion in assets, on a stablecoin issuance pilot on Stellar. Launched November 25, 2025, the project tests a dollar-backed stablecoin for programmable payments, focusing on compliance features like asset freezing for KYC and AML. PwC’s blockchain lead, Kurt Fields, praised Stellar’s base-layer controls: “It allows freezing or unwinding transactions, essential for bank-grade trust.” This follows SDF’s $850,000 grant to Vottun (with PwC support) for a Spanish regulatory sandbox in 2023, proving PwC’s hands-on role in pilots. The U.S. Bank test explores cross-border transfers and tokenized deposits, signaling TradFi’s shift to blockchain rails.
PwC’s Broader Services: Consulting and Ecosystem Support
Beyond pilots, PwC provides strategy, governance, and implementation services for Stellar-based solutions, as listed in SDF’s ecosystem directory. This includes tokenization consulting and scalability assessments for RWAs and payments. PwC’s global reach, with 328,000 employees, amplifies Stellar’s adoption, especially in regulated markets like the EU (MiCA-compliant). As of 2025, Stellar’s $639M RWA TVL (94.8% in Treasuries) benefits from PwC’s audits, ensuring 1:1 backing and transparency. For enterprises, PwC bridges the gap: From ESG reporting to DeFi integration.
Why This Partnership Matters: Trust Meets Innovation
PwC’s involvement validates Stellar’s enterprise readiness. With $4.2B quarterly volumes and partnerships like MoneyGram (400K+ locations), Stellar scales real impact. PwC adds credibility, no more “wild west” stigma. For $XLM holders, it’s demand fuel; XLM traded at $0.34 in November 2025, up 3%. For users, it’s compliant tools for remittances ($831B market). As blockchain volumes hit $15T in 2024, PwC-SDF ties accelerate the 1% on-chain RWA shift in the $16T market.
Stellar’s Horizon: PwC-Powered Growth
In short, PwC and Stellar’s partnership isn’t hype. It’s foundational. From green audits to stablecoin pilots, it builds trust. Adoption follows. Platforms like Lumexo trade $XLM with low fees. As Q4 2025 unfolds, watch RWAs soar. Blockchain is compliant. It’s here.