Stellar Minimum Balance Calculator: XLM Reserve

Stellar (XLM) Minimum Balance Calculator

A Stellar account must always hold a minimum XLM balance that grows with every trustline, offer, extra signer or data entry it owns. That is why a wallet shows a balance you cannot fully send, and why adding USDC to a Stellar account needs 0.5 XLM more. Enter what your account has to see the minimum balance, the spendable amount and the effect of sponsorships.

The formula

Stellar counts reserves in units of the base reserve, 0.5 XLM since protocol 10 in 2018. The account itself takes two units, and each subentry — trustline, offer, signer or data entry — takes one more. Sponsorship moves the reserve to another account: entries you sponsor for others add to your minimum, entries someone sponsors for you are subtracted.

minimum balance = (2 + subentries + entries you sponsor − entries sponsored for you) × 0.5 XLM
spendable       = balance − minimum balance − fees

Typical situations

A fresh account: 1 XLM minimum. A payment that creates a new account must deliver at least 1 XLM (create account operation).
Holding USDC or another asset: one trustline, minimum 1.5 XLM.
Trading on the Stellar DEX: each open offer adds 0.5 XLM until it is filled or cancelled.
Multisig: each additional signer adds 0.5 XLM.
Wallets that sponsor your trustlines (some apps do this for new users) lower your own minimum.

Memo and exchanges

Exchanges and swap services receive XLM on a shared address and use a memo to identify the depositor. When you send XLM to such an address, copy the memo exactly. The minimum balance rules apply to the sending account, not to the memo.

Frequently asked questions

+What is the minimum XLM balance?

1 XLM for an account with no subentries: two base reserves of 0.5 XLM. Each trustline, offer, signer or data entry adds 0.5 XLM.

+Why do I need 0.5 XLM to receive USDC?

Receiving a non-native asset requires a trustline, and each trustline is a subentry that raises your minimum balance by 0.5 XLM.

+How do I free the reserve?

Remove the trustline (with a zero balance of that asset), cancel open offers or remove extra signers. Each removed subentry unlocks 0.5 XLM.

+Are network fees part of the minimum balance?

No. Fees are paid separately from the spendable part. The base fee is 100 stroops (0.00001 XLM) per operation and rises only under congestion.

Calculations run entirely in your browser; nothing you type is sent to KOT.CASH. Results are estimates for information only and are not financial, tax or legal advice.