Trustlines

On Stellar, accounts must explicitly opt in to hold and use assets. This opt-in is called a trustline.

What Are Trustlines in Stellar?

• A trustline is an explicit opt-in setup by a Stellar account that authorizes it to hold, receive, and transact with a non‑native asset (i.e. anything other than XLM), issued by a specific issuer

• Without a trustline, an account cannot receive or keep that asset on the Stellar network

• Each trustline requires 0.5 XLM in base reserve, increasing the minimum balance and limiting abuse

• Trustlines also include a trust limit—the maximum amount the account is willing to hold—and record the current balance and liabilities (e.g., open offers)

Without a trustline, an account cannot receive or hold a token like USDC.

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🔑 Why Trustlines Matter

• Authorization: They give permission for an account to hold a specific asset (e.g., USDC from its issuer).

• Reserves: Each trustline requires a small XLM reserve, so accounts can’t spam unlimited assets.

• Limits: A trustline sets a maximum balance the account is willing to hold.

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⚡ Trustlines in Escrows

• Escrows depend on trustlines.

Our escrows can be configured for ANY trustline on Stellar. But all roles must have the Trustline with that asset.

• Practical impact: All participants must have the proper trustline set up first.

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