Fintech giant Stripe and crypto venture firm Paradigm have unveiled Tempo, a new layer-1 blockchain to power real-world payments using stablecoins.
In an X post, Stripe CEO Patrick Collison described Tempo as a “payments-oriented L1 blockchain” for financial services and large-scale payment applications.
Though backed by Stripe and Paradigm, Tempo will operate as an independent company. This structure allows it to serve a broader range of partners without being tied to a single corporate agenda.
Collison explained that Stripe and Paradigm are only the initial investors, leaving room for industry participation as the ecosystem develops.
Big Names Join as Design Partners
Building on its independent foundation, Tempo is launching with a formidable roster of early partners that will help guide its development. These collaborators span the tech, fintech, and banking sectors, including AI leaders OpenAI and Anthropic, e‑commerce innovators DoorDash and Shopify, and financial powerhouses such as Revolut, Nubank, Lead Bank, Mercury, Deutsche Bank, and Standard Chartered.
Together, they will help shape features for businesses handling global payments, remittances, and on‑chain financial products.
Collison confirmed that the blockchain will launch with an independent and diverse validator set and gradually transition to permissionless validation, ensuring resilience and decentralization.
Key Features of Tempo
Tempo offers several distinctive features. The blockchain will include a built-in automated market maker to allow neutral use of multiple stablecoins.
Unlike most blockchains, it will not issue a native token at launch. Instead, users will pay transaction fees directly with stablecoins, which reduces volatility and facilitates adoption.
The platform prioritizes global payouts, microtransactions, tokenized deposits, and agent-based payments, making it suitable for real-world financial applications where traditional blockchains often face hurdles.
Collison noted that the focus is on real-world usability, not speculative trading.
Leadership and Team
The project is led by Matt Huang, Paradigm’s co-founder and managing partner. Huang will continue his role at Paradigm while guiding Tempo’s development.
As of today, the Tempo team consists of approximately 15 members, including engineers and cryptocurrency experts.
Launch Timeline Still Unclear
Despite the announcement, no official launch date has been shared. Sources indicate the project remains in its early phase, with technology and governance frameworks under development.
Industry watchers expect more details on the rollout once Tempo finalizes its validator system and business integrations.
Stripe’s Expanding Crypto Strategy
Tempo is the latest step in Stripe’s growing involvement in cryptocurrency. In October 2024, the company acquired Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure startup, for $1.1 billion.
In June 2024, it partnered with Coinbase to integrate the Base Layer 2 network into Stripe’s crypto payment products.
More recently, in June 2025, Stripe acquired Privy, a wallet company focused on user-friendly crypto storage.
Together, these moves highlight Stripe’s long-term commitment to blockchain technology as a foundation for the future of payments.
Why Tempo Matters
Stablecoins are becoming a central part of digital finance, but existing infrastructure often fails to meet the demands of large-scale businesses. By focusing on speed, neutrality, and compliance, Tempo could become the go-to blockchain for enterprise payments.
Matt Huang highlighted that Tempo combines Stripe’s expertise in payments with Paradigm’s strength in crypto infrastructure.
“As stablecoins go mainstream, there’s a need for optimized infrastructure,” he said in a post announcing the project.
As stablecoins go mainstream, there’s a need for optimized infrastructure
Tempo is purpose-built for stablecoins and real-world payments, born from Stripe’s experience in global payments and Paradigm’s expertise in crypto
— Matt Huang (@matthuang) September 4, 2025
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