Tempo is a Layer 1 blockchain incubated by financial technology company Stripe and cryptocurrency investment firm Paradigm. It is an EVM-compatible network designed specifically to provide dedicated infrastructure for high-volume, real-world payment use cases, with a primary focus on stablecoin transactions. ^{[1] [2]}

Overview

Tempo was developed to address the perceived shortcomings of general-purpose blockchains, which are often optimized for trading or decentralized finance (DeFi) rather than payments. According to its backers, much of the existing crypto infrastructure is "comparatively underoptimized for payments," leading to issues like network congestion and unpredictable transaction fees that hinder mainstream adoption for payment applications. ^[3]

Tempo aims to solve this by providing a specialized, high-throughput network with features tailored to the needs of businesses and developers in financial services, commerce, and artificial intelligence. ^[1]

The project's core value proposition is to offer a neutral, permissionless platform for stablecoin-based payments that is scalable, fast, and cost-effective. It combines Stripe's experience in global payments with Paradigm's expertise in cryptocurrency to create an infrastructure layer for use cases such as global payouts, remittances, and tokenized deposits. ^[2]

Matt Huang, Head of Tempo, stated;

“We believe Tempo will complement existing crypto infrastructure and be a conduit for many large enterprises to come onchain, increasing adoption of crypto tools and infrastructure.” ^[3]

The network is not intended to displace other blockchains but rather to serve the specific requirements of high-volume payment flows. ^[1]

History

In August 2025, reports first surfaced in Fortune magazine, citing anonymous sources, that Stripe and Paradigm were collaborating on a payments-focused blockchain. ^[4]

The project was officially announced on September 4, 2025. The announcement confirmed that Tempo was live on a private testnet, with priority access being granted to a select group of design partners for testing purposes. ^[2]

The launch of Tempo is considered part of Stripe's broader strategic expansion into cryptocurrency services.

This move followed the company's introduction of "Stablecoin Financial Accounts" in May 2025. ^[4]

At the time of the announcement, the project was set to operate independently with its own full-time team, while maintaining its connections to both Stripe and Paradigm.

The initial validator set for the network was composed of design partners, with a stated roadmap to transition towards a fully permissionless validator model over time. ^{[3] [4]}

Technology

Tempo is an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible Layer 1 blockchain built using Reth, a Rust-based Ethereum execution layer. Its architecture is designed from the ground up to support payment-centric operations at scale. ^[3]

Architecture & Performance

The network is engineered to achieve high throughput and low latency to facilitate real-time payments globally. Its stated performance metrics include:

• Throughput: Capable of processing over 100,000 transactions per second (TPS).
• Finality: Achieves sub-second transaction finality, ensuring that transactions are confirmed and settled almost instantly.

These performance characteristics are intended to meet the demands of large-scale commercial and financial applications. ^{[1] [4]}

Key Features

Tempo incorporates several features specifically designed to optimize the user experience for payments and meet enterprise compliance requirements. ^[2]

• Dedicated Payments Lane: The blockchain features isolated blockspace reserved exclusively for payment transfers. This design ensures that payment transactions remain cheap and reliable, unaffected by congestion from other on-chain activities like DeFi or NFT trading. This lane also includes an opt-in privacy feature, allowing users to protect transaction details. ^[3]
• Stablecoin Neutrality and Fee Flexibility: A core principle of Tempo is its neutrality towards stablecoins. The protocol includes an "enshrined" or native Automated Market Maker (AMM) that facilitates low-fee swaps between different stablecoins. This built-in exchange allows users to pay for transaction gas fees using any supported stablecoin, removing the need to hold a specific native gas token. ^[2] Matt Huang stated, "We’re building Tempo with principles of decentralization and neutrality. That includes: Stablecoin neutrality: anyone can issue a stablecoin, and any stablecoin can be used for payments/gas." ^[4]
• Payments-Specific Tooling: The network includes native support for functionalities common in traditional payment systems. It supports batch transfers through native account abstraction, allowing multiple payments to be sent in a single on-chain transaction. It also features memo fields that enable the inclusion of contextual data, designed for compatibility with financial messaging standards like ISO 20022 to simplify off-chain reconciliation. ^[1]
• Compliance and Security: Tempo provides built-in tools to help businesses meet regulatory requirements. These include features for setting user-level permissions through blocklists and allowlists, as well as privacy measures that protect user data while maintaining compliance standards. ^[1]

Use Cases

Tempo is designed to support a wide range of real-world payment applications for companies with large economic flows. Stripe CEO Patrick Collison noted that the project aims to facilitate various on-chain activities. ^[4] The project has identified several key use cases:

• Global Payouts and Remittances: Enabling instant, low-cost cross-border payments to individuals and businesses without the delays of traditional banking systems.
• Embedded Finance: Allowing developers to build compliant, programmable payment systems directly into their products using any stablecoin.
• Tokenized Deposits: Moving customer funds on-chain to enable 24/7 settlement and more efficient interbank transfers.
• Microtransactions: Facilitating sub-cent payments for digital goods, on-demand services, and other low-value transactions.
• Agentic Commerce: Providing an infrastructure for autonomous AI agents to conduct instant, low-cost payments for goods and services.

These use cases reflect the project's focus on bridging traditional finance and commerce with blockchain technology. ^{[1] [3]}

Team & Backers

Tempo was incubated as a joint initiative by Stripe, a global financial infrastructure platform, and Paradigm, a crypto-focused investment firm.

The project is led by Matt Huang, who is also the co-founder and Managing Partner of Paradigm. Huang continues to hold his role at Paradigm while serving as the Head of Tempo. ^[3]

While incubated by Stripe and Paradigm, Tempo operates as an independent entity with its own dedicated team. The project leverages Stripe's extensive experience in the global payments industry and Paradigm's deep expertise in cryptocurrency protocols and infrastructure. ^[2]

Design Partners

During its development, Tempo collaborated with a consortium of companies from various sectors to provide design input and ensure the blockchain meets a broad array of real-world needs. These partners span financial services, technology, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence. The announced design partners include:

• AI: Anthropic, OpenAI
• Commerce and Technology: Coupang, DoorDash, Shopify
• Financial Services and Fintech: Deutsche Bank, Lead Bank, Mercury, Nubank, Revolut, Standard Chartered, Visa

This group of partners signals significant institutional interest in the project and its potential for adoption across different industries. ^{[2] [3]}