I’m Aadi, an MBA in marketing and finance, focused on how payment networks and blockchain reshape global money flows. Over the years, I’ve studied how fintech giants balance scalability, compliance, and monetization. Stripe’s new blockchain Tempo is one of those rare moves that blend technology and business model innovation.
Every fintech founder and investor asks the same question. Can crypto ever become infrastructure-level payments, not just speculative assets? Stripe is betting yes. Tempo is their answer, built to power stablecoin transactions at internet scale.
This is for founders in fintech, executives in payments, investors tracking blockchain utility, and business students learning how infrastructure shapes markets. If you’ve wondered how stablecoins could move from crypto wallets into payroll systems, this breakdown is for you.
- Stripe introduced Tempo on September 4, 2025.
- Built with Paradigm, it promises over 100,000 transactions per second.
- Partners include Visa, Deutsche Bank, Shopify, Revolut, and OpenAI.
- No native token at launch, fees payable in stablecoins.
- Positioned for payouts, remittances, payroll, and microtransactions.
Stripe processes hundreds of billions annually. Existing blockchains like Ethereum or Solana handle impressive volumes but struggle with predictable low fees and sub-second finality at Stripe’s scale. Tempo, incubated with Paradigm and led by Matt Huang, aims to solve those gaps. It’s designed as a payments-first chain, not a speculation-first one.
Tempo is an independent company but tightly integrated into Stripe’s rails. The clever part is routing. Merchants don’t need to care whether a transaction runs on Visa, ACH, or Tempo. Stripe routes based on speed and cost. That means blockchain involvement is often invisible, but the efficiency gains are real. Lower cost per transaction scales across millions of payouts and embedded accounts, unlocking margin gains Stripe can pass to merchants or keep as profit.
Unlike most Layer 1 chains, Tempo launched without a native token. Transaction fees are paid directly in stablecoins, making it easier for businesses to adopt without volatility risk. This aligns with trends seen in Circle’s USDC adoption, where enterprises prioritize stability over token speculation. A 2025 report by PwC noted that stablecoins already account for over 70 percent of crypto payment volumes. Tempo is built to capture that trend.
Visa and Deutsche Bank add regulatory trust, while Shopify and Nubank connect Tempo to everyday commerce. For fintech startups, Tempo could become the backbone for instant payroll, cross-border remittances, or 24/7 treasury settlements. A fintech CEO put it bluntly on Hacker News: “Stripe is treating blockchain like plumbing. That’s what will finally make it invisible and usable.”
Tempo is still in private testnet, but its roadmap includes decentralization and global rollout. If adoption scales, Stripe could position itself as the default provider of stablecoin payments infrastructure. This isn’t just about blockchain. It’s about owning the layer that merchants and consumers never see but rely on every second.
5 to Do’s and Don’ts for Business Readers:
- Track Tempo adoption metrics once public testnets open.
- Evaluate stablecoin integration opportunities in your business.
- Don’t assume all blockchains are designed for speculation.
- Don’t dismiss stablecoins as niche, given their growing payment share.
- Don’t wait until Tempo is mainstream before planning integrations.
Stripe unveiled Tempo, a Layer 1 blockchain built with Paradigm, Visa, and Revolut. Designed for stablecoin payments, it targets 100,000 TPS and global payouts at predictable low cost.https://t.co/4s8aRfPngB @stripe @stripesupport @tempo @LogX_trade #libra #mark
— Fintech News and Business Insights (@learnwebstories) September 6, 2025