Tempo, the payments-focused blockchain developed by payments giant Stripe and crypto investment firm Paradigm, launched its mainnet on Wednesday, completing testing of its stablecoin payment system and making it available for real-world use.
The network is built to process large numbers of transactions quickly and at low cost. It aims to make sending money using stablecoins (digital tokens tied to currencies such as the US dollar) feel as easy as using a card or bank transfer, but faster and always available.
The launch follows a public testnet launched in December, when companies including Mastercard, UBS, Klarna and Visa began experimenting with money transfers on the network. This phase allowed developers to test how stablecoins can handle everyday financial activities such as payments and cross-border transfers.
Alongside the mainnet launch, Tempo introduced the Machine Payments Protocol, a system co-developed with Stripe that allows software programs to make payments on their own. This allows applications and artificial intelligence (AI) tools to pay for services such as data and computing power without human approval at each step.
Tempo is also targeting more familiar uses, such as sending money across borders and paying large numbers of workers at once. These processes often take several days and involve multiple intermediaries.
The announcement comes as global payment processors increasingly recognize blockchain rail and stablecoins as important conduits for cross-border finance. Mastercard announced this week that it will acquire stablecoin infrastructure startup BVNK for $1.8 billion to incorporate a digital dollar into its payments network. The deal followed Stripe’s acquisition of stablecoin startup Bridge and cryptocurrency wallet company Privy.
Tempo also aims to establish a foothold in agent finance, an emerging trend in which AI agents use blockchain to pay for certain services that require micropayments.
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