Stripe's Tempo Payments Blockchain Opens to Public With Mastercard, UBS Onboard

Core Insights - Tempo, a blockchain focused on stablecoins and payments, has launched its public testnet, allowing developers to build on the network [1] - The network is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine and has received design input from major global firms including OpenAI, Shopify, and Visa [2] - Tempo has announced new partnerships with Mastercard, UBS, and Klarna, which plans to launch a stablecoin on the Tempo network [2] Group 1: Testnet Launch and Features - The Tempo testnet is now open for public use, enabling various stakeholders to engage with the platform [3] - Key features include dedicated payment lanes for guaranteed blockspace and low fees, as well as stablecoin-native gas for transactions [4] - The network supports use cases such as microtransactions, global payments, remittances, agentic commerce, and tokenized deposits [5] Group 2: Partnerships and Development - Coastal Bank is collaborating with Tempo to innovate financial infrastructure [4] - The network is currently operated by a rotating set of four validators, with plans to incorporate independent validators and partners as it approaches mainnet launch [6] - Tempo raised $500 million at a $5 billion valuation to advance its blockchain development, and has added a top Ethereum researcher to its team [7] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Circle, the issuer of USDC, is also developing a payments-focused blockchain called Arc, which has launched its testnet with participation from firms like Visa and Goldman Sachs [7]