Stripe and Paradigm introduce Tempo, a new blockchain designed for high-throughput stablecoin payments, aiming to streamline global transactions.

Executive Summary

Stripe and Paradigm have unveiled Tempo, a new blockchain designed for high-throughput stablecoin payments. The initiative aims to streamline global transactions, targeting applications like global payouts and microtransactions.

The Event in Detail

Tempo, incubated by Stripe and Paradigm, is a payments-focused blockchain designed to optimize stablecoin use in real-world financial flows. The project entered a private testnet on September 4, with support from design partners including Anthropic, Coupang, Deutsche Bank, DoorDash, Lead Bank, Mercury, Nubank, OpenAI, Revolut, Shopify, Standard Chartered, and Visa. According to project materials, Tempo is engineered to handle more than 100,000 transactions per second with sub-second finality.

Market Implications

Tempo's architecture allows transaction fees and gas to be paid in any stablecoin through an enshrined automated market maker (AMM). This feature, combined with dedicated lanes for payments and support for memos and access lists, aims to enhance the efficiency of stablecoin settlements. Built on Reth, an Ethereum execution client, the chain maintains compatibility with existing Ethereum smart contracts and tooling.

Expert Commentary

Paradigm co-founder Matt Huang stated that Tempo is intended to support diverse financial applications such as payroll, remittances, global payouts, and embedded accounts.

According to Visa chief product and strategy officer Jack Forestell, the project aligns with the growing demand for optimized infrastructure as stablecoins gain mainstream adoption.

Broader Context

Tempo's development reflects a broader trend in the fintech and crypto industries to build infrastructure optimized for stablecoin transactions. Unlike many Layer-1 blockchains, Tempo accepts various stablecoins, such as USDC or Tether, for gas fees, reducing reliance on volatile cryptocurrencies. This approach aims to facilitate real-world use cases, including remittances, payroll, and microtransactions. The blockchain will also support agentic payments, where AI-driven agents conduct financial transactions, potentially revolutionizing automated financial workflows. The protocol will follow a principle of “stablecoin neutrality,” allowing any issuer to deploy tokens for settlement. Validators will initially be curated but are expected to transition toward a permissionless model.

Tempo distinguishes itself through its payment-first architecture, enabling low fees and scalability for real-world financial activity. The chain supports gas fees in stablecoins via its built-in automated market maker, ensuring a seamless user experience. It targets enterprise-grade blockchain payments, enhancing the long-term strategic goals of both organizations.

Simon Taylor, formerly with 11:FS and Sardine, has joined Tempo to lead new initiatives, signaling a commitment to bridging crypto-native features with traditional financial operations. This strategic move positions Tempo as a new layer of crypto-native payments built outside traditional financial rails, blending Stripe’s experience in global payment rails with Paradigm’s blockchain infrastructure innovation.