Tempo
Tempo
Tempo is a payments-first, EVM-compatible Layer 1 blockchain incubated by Stripe and Paradigm and designed for stablecoin payments at scale. Gas is paid in stablecoins (USDC or USDT) rather than a volatile token, with roughly 0.6-second finality and dedicated features such as structured memos and smart accounts. It is an independent company led by Paradigm's Matt Huang that raised $500M in Series A at a $5 billion valuation (Thrive Capital, Greenoaks); mainnet went live in March 2026 after a late-2025 public testnet.
Data & conditions
| Service type | Stablecoin infrastructure |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Not disclosed |
| Stablecoins | USDC, USDT |
| Custody model | non-custodial |
| Customer type | Fintech, Enterprise, Developers |
| Fund custody | Self-custody (funds in your control) |
| Supported countries | US, EEA, UK, APAC |
| Segment | B2B |
| MiCA / License status | Not disclosed |
Strengths
- Incubated by Stripe and Paradigm; $500M Series A at a $5B valuation.
- Gas paid in stablecoins, ~0.6s finality, payment-specific design (memos, smart accounts).
- Self-custody: funds stay in your wallet — the platform cannot touch them.
Weaknesses
- Very recent mainnet (March 2026): track record and adoption still early.
- B2B infrastructure: not an end-consumer product.
- No notable sovereignty drawback documented.
Verdict
Score 4.0/5, very strong profile. In its favour: incubated by Stripe and Paradigm; $500M Series A at a $5B valuation. The trade-off to weigh: very recent mainnet (March 2026): track record and adoption still early.
On the Sovereignty lens the score is 5.0/5 (outstanding): the strength is fund control (5.0/5).
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
FAQ
Who created Tempo?
Tempo was incubated by Stripe and Paradigm as an independent company, led by Paradigm's Matt Huang. It raised $500M in Series A at a $5 billion valuation.
Can an individual use Tempo?
No. It is a stablecoin payments blockchain aimed at businesses and developers (remittances, payouts, payroll, embedded finance), not a consumer product.
Sources
- Official service page Descrizione · Partner Data verified on Jul 17, 2026
- finance.yahoo.com Data verified on Jul 17, 2026
- paradigm.xyz Data verified on Jul 17, 2026