Stripe has announced a significant investment in the blockchain startup Tempo, which is focused on the high-volume processing of stablecoins. This initiative was disclosed by co-founder and CEO Patrick Collison in a recent announcement. Stablecoins are designed to mitigate the volatility often associated with cryptocurrencies by being pegged to stable assets, such as the U.S. dollar. This strategic move follows Stripe’s acquisition of the stablecoin company Bridge, indicating a strong commitment to expanding its footprint in the blockchain space.
The surprise element of this announcement lies in the impressive roster of companies that have already joined Tempo as design partners. Renowned names such as Anthropic, Coupang, Deutsche Bank, DoorDash, Lead Bank, Mercury, Nubank, OpenAI, Revolut, Shopify, Standard Chartered, and Visa are lined up to potentially leverage Tempo’s blockchain technology. If the platform functions as intended, these partners could utilize it for a variety of applications, ranging from agentic payments to global remittances, signaling a shift in how businesses can approach cryptocurrency transactions.
In addition to these partnerships, Stripe has appointed Matt Huang, a board member and co-founder of Paradigm, a prominent venture capital firm specializing in cryptocurrency, to lead Tempo. Paradigm has also made an investment in the new venture, underscoring the financial backing behind this innovative approach. Collison emphasized that Tempo will operate as an independent company, which allows for agility and focused development in the burgeoning blockchain sector.
This development marks a notable expansion for Stripe into the evolving landscape of digital finance, reflecting a broader trend of established companies embracing blockchain technology to enhance payment systems and financial operations.