Payment giant Stripe secretly develops Layer 1 Blockchain Tempo! Compatible with Ethereum, partnering with Paradigm to build new infrastructure for stablecoin Settlement.

According to a report by Fortune magazine, payment technology giant Stripe is secretly collaborating with top crypto venture capital firm Paradigm to develop a high-performance Layer 1 Blockchain called Tempo. The project is compatible with the Ethereum programming environment, allowing developers to port applications with extremely low friction. The core team currently consists of 5 people and is recruiting marketing talent aimed at Fortune 500 clients. This move is a key step for Stripe to enhance its stablecoin payment landscape after the acquisition of wallet service provider Privy (in June) and stablecoin infrastructure company Bridge ($1.1 billion, October 2024). By controlling the underlying chain layer, Stripe aims to optimize stablecoin settlement speed, drop external dependencies, and customize transaction costs, thereby consolidating its full-stack payment capabilities from wallet to settlement.

[Secret Project Emerges] Payment technology giant Stripe is secretly collaborating with renowned crypto venture capital firm Paradigm to develop a new blockchain called Tempo, focused on payment scenarios. According to a report by Fortune magazine on August 11, details of the project surfaced through a now-deleted job posting on the Blockchain Association's recruitment website, revealing the initial outline of this covert plan.

[Tempo: High-Performance Payment Public Blockchain Positioning] Tempo is described as a high-performance Layer 1 Blockchain, with the key feature of being compatible with Ethereum programming languages. This design allows developers to migrate (port) existing applications to the network with very low friction. A job posting released on August 3 mentioned that the project's core team currently has 5 members and is looking for talent with marketing experience targeting Fortune 500 clients.

Four individuals familiar with the project confirmed its Ethereum compatibility, although both Stripe and Paradigm declined to comment publicly on the matter. Notably, after Fortune reached out to the two companies, the job listing was quickly removed, highlighting the project's secretive nature.

Matt Huang, the co-founder and managing partner of Paradigm, also serves as a board member of Stripe, providing a direct link for close collaboration between the payment giant and the crypto investment firm.

[The Key Puzzle to Perfecting the Stablecoin Landscape] The development of Tempo Blockchain is a continuation of Stripe's recent expansion in the stablecoin infrastructure sector:

1. Acquisition of Privy (June 2024): By acquiring the Wallet service provider Privy, Stripe has added support for on-chain account integration at the checkout stage.
2. Sky-high acquisition of Bridge (October 2024): Stripe spent $1.1 billion to acquire the stablecoin infrastructure company Bridge, enabling businesses to process and issue stablecoin payments.
3. Product Matrix Expansion: Stripe has also launched several other services related to stablecoins, including payment services for emerging markets, merchant cards associated with Visa, and financial accounts for holding and trading stablecoins.

By mastering its own blockchain layer, Stripe hopes to achieve:

• Optimize stablecoin settlement speed
• Reduce dependence on external networks
• Customized Transaction Cost for Business Clients

[Master the underlying technology, strengthen full-stack capabilities] Although Stripe has not disclosed whether Tempo will issue a native cryptocurrency, industry observers point out that controlling the underlying Blockchain will enable the company to integrate its role in the stablecoin payment stack—from Wallet services to transaction processing—creating a more complete closed-loop payment ecosystem.

Conclusion: Stripe, in collaboration with Paradigm, has secretly developed the Tempo Blockchain, marking a strategic upgrade for traditional payment giants in deepening their layout of encryption infrastructure. The Ethereum-compatible design significantly drops the migration threshold for developers, while controlling the Layer 1 underlying technology grants Stripe key advantages in stablecoin settlement speed, cost structure, and network autonomy. Combined with its recent acquisition of Privy (Wallet) and Bridge (stablecoin facility), Tempo is expected to become the core settlement layer linking Stripe's payment ecosystem, challenging traditional networks like Visa while potentially competing with existing payment chains like Solana. The project is still in its early confidential stage, and its technical details, token economic model, and launch timeline are worth ongoing attention, as they may have a profound impact on the landscape of encrypted payment tracks.