Key Highlights
- New validators, including Visa, Stripe, and Zodia Custody, have joined the Tempo network.
- The addition makes 24/7 cross-border payments possible, alongside new applications including tokenized deposits and machine-to-machine interactions.
- Tempo is moving toward a permissionless and scalable blockchain network.
Tempo, a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain, today announced that Stripe, Visa, and Zodia Custody (backed by Standard Chartered) have joined as validators on its network.
According to the official announcement, the platform will continue to expand its validator set with additional partners as it moves toward permissionless validation. It added that “these three organizations process trillions of dollars in payments annually across almost every country in the world. Their participation strengthens the Tempo’s validator set and signals growing mainstream adoption of blockchain for stablecoin-based transactions.”
The move marks an early phase of external institutional participants, as Tempo transitions from an incubated project to an enterprise-grade infrastructure.
What the integration brings
Tempo was incubated by Paradigm and Stripe to address the restrictions of existing blockchains in handling high-volume, low-cost payments. The involvement of these validators boosts network security, decentralization, and credibility while making the way for seamless integration with traditional payment systems.
Visa underscored the development in a separate announcement, referring to its validator node as a step in progressing on-chain payment infrastructure and stablecoin innovation. Cuy Sheffield, Head of Crypto, Visa, commented on the development, stating, “We’ve spent years building our expertise in blockchain, and now we’re expanding that work by running critical blockchain infrastructure ourselves.”
The involvement of Stripe and Zodia Custody also helps in bridging traditional finance with blockchain, enabling faster, 24/7 cross-border settlements and new use cases like machine-to-machine payments and tokenized deposits.
Testnet background
The project began to gain attention in December 2025, when Stripe and Paradigm announced the public testnet launch of Tempo. This opened the doors for the payments-centric network to a wider audience of developers and partners.
The testnet launch involved many capable development partners, including international financial firm UBS, US-based prediction market platform Kalshi, and regional banking services firm Cross River Bank.
Broader context
Tempo said the validator additions mark an early step, with plans to onboard more strategic partners as it progresses toward a fully permissionless network.
The expansion is aimed at supporting scalability while maintaining the performance standards required for payments. The development positions Tempo within the growing segment of blockchain platforms focused on stablecoins and real-time payment infrastructure.
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