Stellar is set to implement Protocol 28, also known as the Adapter upgrade, on August 27, accelerating the previously outlined rollout for a network update focused on improving Soroban smart contracts and overall performance. The upgrade includes CAP-85 and CAP-86, which are designed to make contracts easier to deploy, upgrade and migrate by enabling atomic fleet upgrades and more flexible data evolution, as well as sparse map host functions to handle missing or extra fields more gracefully during migrations. CAP-83 targets the consensus layer, helping validators keep the network moving when transaction data is slow to propagate and improving performance under load. Earlier guidance had pointed to an August 27 testnet vote and a September 16 mainnet vote, but the latest update says Stellar plans to implement the upgrade on August 27. Stellar has framed Adapter as part of a broader push to make the network more developer-friendly for real financial applications without giving up speed and low costs.