Stripe and Paradigm reveal Tempo layer-1 blockchain for stablecoin payments infrastructure

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Stripe and Paradigm unveiled Tempo, a layer-1 blockchain designed for stablecoin payments.

A Sept. 4 announcement from Paradigm founder Matt Huang validates speculation that began when Stripe posted and quickly deleted blockchain engineering job listings in August.

Private testnet phase

Tempo operates in a private testnet with select partners testing cross-border payouts, B2B payments, and remittances.

According to Huang’s announcement, the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible network targets high-volume payment use cases through dedicated infrastructure choices, including predictable low fees, payments in any stablecoin via a built-in automated market maker, and specialized user experience features.

Tempo processes over 100,000 transactions per second with sub-second finality through a dedicated payments lane that separates routine transactions from complex smart contract operations.

Design partners include Anthropic, Coupang, Deutsche Bank, DoorDash, Lead Bank, Mercury, Nubank, OpenAI, Revolut, Shopify, Standard Chartered, and Visa.

The partnerships span traditional financial institutions, neobanks, e-commerce platforms, and artificial intelligence companies.

Visa chief product and strategy officer Jack Forestell stated:

“The future is multi-chain: stablecoins will operate across diverse blockchain networks and Visa is enabling interoperability between chains and stablecoin brands.”

Stablecoin neutrality

Tempo incorporates stablecoin neutrality, allowing any entity to issue stablecoins and use any stablecoin for payments or gas fees. This structure contrasts with networks that favor specific stablecoin issuers or require native tokens for transaction fees.

The built-in automated market maker enables seamless conversion between different stablecoins. The network supports opt-in privacy transactions and includes compliance hooks designed for regulatory requirements.

These features address enterprise concerns about transaction privacy while maintaining compatibility with anti-money laundering and know-your-customer regulations.

The blockchain addresses real-world payment flows, including global payouts, embedded financial accounts, fast remittances, tokenized deposits for continuous settlement, microtransactions, and automated payments.

Built on Reth, Tempo maintains EVM compatibility while optimizing for payment-specific functionality. Independent entities, including design partners, will operate validator nodes before transitioning to a permissionless model.

Stripe joins Circle in the movement to launch a layer-1 network focused on payments with stablecoins. On Aug. 12, Circle revealed Arc, a multi-chain infrastructure for stablecoin transactions.

Tempo positions itself as complementary to existing general-purpose blockchains rather than competing directly with established layer-1 networks.