Visa launches validator on Tempo for stablecoin payments

Visa has launched an in-house validator node on the Tempo blockchain to verify and process stablecoin payments. The node operates as an anchor validator alongside early participants including Stripe and Zodia Custody. Visa built the node over six months in collaboration with Tempo engineers and runs it on the company’s own infrastructure.

The validator sits in Tempo’s transaction validation layer, where it helps order and confirm payments and supports network security and performance while the network remains in an early stage. Tempo is a Layer 1 blockchain designed for real-time payments and transactions using dollar-pegged tokens.

Validators on Tempo confirm transactions, maintain the ledger and are eligible to receive stablecoin-denominated rewards when selected to assemble and submit blocks.

Visa operates the node on internal systems rather than using third-party hosting. Development and testing lasted about six months before the validator began processing transactions.

The launch adds to Visa’s blockchain activity. The company is a validator on the Canton Network, expanded its settlement platform to support tokenized balances such as PayPal USD and Euro Coin, and cleared transactions across networks including Stellar and Avalanche. In March, Visa extended a stablecoin card partnership with Bridge to 18 countries and plans to expand to over 100 markets.

Other payment firms have made large investments in stablecoin infrastructure. In October 2024, Stripe agreed to acquire stablecoin platform Bridge for about $1.1 billion and later introduced stablecoin-based accounts for business clients. Mastercard reached an agreement to acquire BVNK in a deal valued at up to $1.8 billion; BVNK provides stablecoin infrastructure for businesses across more than 130 countries.

Market data show stablecoin market capitalization near $319 billion, up from about $307.5 billion at the start of the year.

Visa did not disclose the costs of running the node or the transaction volumes it expects to route through the validator. The company framed the deployment as part of its work to connect traditional payment systems with tokenized settlement while retaining control over operational and security practices.