Tempo testnet goes live for stablecoin payments
Stripe and Paradigm have launched the public testnet for Tempo, their payments‑focused blockchain. The network opened on Tuesday, allowing anyone to build applications on top of the platform. Tempo is an Ethereum Virtual Machine‑compatible blockchain designed specifically for handling stablecoin transactions at scale. Unlike general‑purpose blockchains, Tempo reserves dedicated « payment lanes » at the protocol level that guarantee low fees. These lanes do not compete with other blockchain activity like NFT mints or high‑frequency trading.
The network also features stablecoin‑native gas, meaning users pay transaction fees in dollar‑pegged tokens rather than volatile crypto. This makes costs predictable for businesses handling real‑world payments. Tempo includes a built‑in decentralised exchange optimised specifically for swapping between stablecoins and tokenised bank deposits. Users can even create their own stablecoins directly from their web browser using Tempo’s TIP‑20 token standard. For beginners, this means the network is purpose‑built for moving money, not speculation or complex apps.
Major financial partners join Tempo ecosystem
The testnet launch adds several heavyweight partners to Tempo’s roster of design collaborators. Mastercard, UBS, Klarna and prediction market Kalshi have all joined the project. They sit alongside earlier partners including Visa, Deutsche Bank, OpenAI and Shopify. These firms are testing real payment flows on the network to shape its final design before mainnet. Klarna has already announced plans to launch its own stablecoin, KlarnaUSD, on Tempo when it goes live in 2026.
Currently, Tempo blockchain runs on four validators operated by the core team. The project plans to expand to independent validators from partners and infrastructure providers before moving to full decentralisation. In October, Tempo raised five hundred million dollars at a five billion dollar valuation to fund development. The blockchain aims to handle over one hundred thousand transactions per second with sub‑second finality, matching centralised payment networks. For traditional finance, Tempo represents a bridge between legacy banking infrastructure and on‑chain settlement.
