Stellar has released an updated Bell upgrade guide to help wallets, exchanges, and infrastructure operators prepare for the upcoming network votes in November. The guide, revised on October 23, provides specific software versions and tools needed to support changes under Protocol 30, including new address formats and ledger data structures.
The update highlights the JavaScript SDK v17.3.0, released on October 21, which includes support for contract addresses starting with 'W' and updated ledger definitions. The SDK offers tools to encode, decode, and validate these addresses, as well as handle transfers. The guide also lists infrastructure releases and software development kits, giving operators a checklist for necessary preparations.
One key change under Bell is the ability for contract addresses to carry an additional customer identifier, allowing a single smart contract to manage funds for multiple customers. While this simplifies shared account structures for services like custody providers, applications must still recognize and properly associate these identifiers with the correct customers.
Additionally, the upgrade introduces changes to the ledger header format, requiring indexers, explorers, and other services to update their decoders to avoid compatibility issues. The guide also notes the addition of ML-DSA signature verification for smart contracts, supporting post-quantum authorization, though ordinary network transactions will continue to use Ed25519 signatures.
Testnet validators are scheduled to vote on November 3, followed by a mainnet vote on November 23, both at 17:00 UTC. The upgrade will only take effect if validators approve, and the Stellar Development Foundation emphasizes that these dates are subject to change.