MetaMask adds Stellar integration, but cross-chain bridges require manual setup

MetaMask added Stellar as a default network on Oct. 29, giving users a new route for stablecoin payments within the wallet.Before an unfunded account can receive assets such as USDC through MetaMask's documented flow, it needs XLM funding and the receiving token activated.The launch announcement says Stellar is live in MetaMask Mobile and Extension, with a Stellar address derived from the recovery phrase in existing users' multichain accounts. That brings the payments network into an account they already use, alongside assets on other networks.Fund the account, then activate the tokenMetaMask's Stellar instructions require a first deposit of at least 1 XLM for a new, unfunded address.To prepare for USDC, users open Manage Tokens, enable the desired token, open its entry marked Inactive, choose Activate, and confirm the transaction. Merely adding the token to the visible list does not complete activation.Under Stellar's current reserve rules, an ordinary unsponsored account must maintain 1 XLM, plus another 0.5 XLM for each ordinary trustline. Other account entries can increase the minimum, and transaction fees need spendable XLM above the reserve. The locked balance remains in the ...