[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":743},["ShallowReactive",2],{"content-\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fpayment-blockchains-tempo-arc-explained":3,"resources-category-payment-blockchains-tempo-arc-explained":534},{"id":4,"title":5,"authors":6,"body":7,"categories":6,"category":502,"categoryType":6,"compare":6,"contributors":6,"date":503,"description":504,"extension":505,"faq":506,"howto":6,"isBlog":524,"isChangelog":524,"meta":525,"navigation":527,"path":528,"pillar":524,"products":6,"rawbody":529,"role":6,"seo":530,"seoTitle":531,"stem":532,"thumbnail":6,"updated":503,"__hash__":533},"content\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fpayment-blockchains-tempo-arc-explained.md","What are payment blockchains? Tempo, Arc, and stablecoin-native chains explained",null,{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":489},"minimark",[10,14,23,29,48,53,56,69,72,75,79,89,98,130,133,137,146,155,186,189,193,196,318,326,330,333,339,345,356,370,374,377,408,411,415,418,421,429,433,436,469,476,480,483],[11,12,13],"p",{},"A payment blockchain is a network built mainly to move stablecoins. Tempo (incubated by Stripe and Paradigm, live since March 18, 2026) and Circle's Arc (live since September 16, 2026) both charge fees in stablecoins instead of a volatile gas token and finalize transactions in under a second. They compete with general-purpose chains like Ethereum and Solana for payment flows.",[11,15,16,17,22],{},"If you are new to the basic split between the rail and the asset, start with ",[18,19,21],"a",{"href":20},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fblockchain-payments-vs-crypto-payments","blockchain payments vs crypto payments",". This page is about the rail.",[11,24,25],{},[26,27,28],"strong",{},"Key takeaways",[30,31,32,36,39,42,45],"ul",{},[33,34,35],"li",{},"Payment blockchains pay fees in stablecoins (Tempo: USD stablecoins, Arc: USDC), so a sender never needs ETH or SOL.",[33,37,38],{},"Both advertise deterministic sub-second finality, which means a confirmed transfer cannot be rolled back.",[33,40,41],{},"Tempo reserves blockspace for payments and supports 32-byte transfer memos for reconciliation.",[33,43,44],{},"General-purpose chains still hold most stablecoin liquidity, so new chains win on design, not yet on depth.",[33,46,47],{},"BlindPay supports Tempo and Arc alongside seven other networks, nine in total.",[49,50,52],"h2",{"id":51},"what-is-a-payment-blockchain","What is a payment blockchain?",[11,54,55],{},"A payment blockchain is a layer 1 network whose design choices start from moving stablecoins, not from hosting every kind of app. In practice that means three things: fees in a stablecoin, fast final settlement, and features that make payments easier to reconcile.",[57,58,59],"blockquote",{},[11,60,61,64,65,68],{},[26,62,63],{},"Definition:"," A ",[26,66,67],{},"payment blockchain"," (also called a stablecoin-native chain) is a blockchain where stablecoins are the primary asset, network fees are paid in a stablecoin, and the protocol includes payment features such as fast deterministic finality, reserved capacity for transfers, or memo fields.",[11,70,71],{},"Compare that with Ethereum. It is a general-purpose network. USDC on Ethereum is one token among thousands, every transfer pays gas in ETH, and the fee moves with demand for the whole network, not just payments.",[11,73,74],{},"None of this changes what a stablecoin is. USDC on Arc is still USDC. The difference is the road it travels on.",[49,76,78],{"id":77},"what-is-tempo","What is Tempo?",[11,80,81,82,88],{},"Tempo is a layer 1 blockchain for stablecoin payments, incubated by Stripe and Paradigm. Its ",[18,83,87],{"href":84,"rel":85},"https:\u002F\u002Ftempo.xyz\u002Ffaq",[86],"nofollow","FAQ"," says the mainnet has been live since March 18, 2026, with chain ID 4217.",[11,90,91,92,97],{},"The payment-specific features, per Tempo's FAQ and ",[18,93,96],{"href":94,"rel":95},"https:\u002F\u002Ftempo.xyz\u002Fdevelopers",[86],"developer docs",":",[30,99,100,106,112,118,124],{},[33,101,102,105],{},[26,103,104],{},"Fees in stablecoins."," Network fees are paid in supported USD-denominated stablecoins. There is no volatile native gas token. Fees can also be sponsored by another account, so an app can pay for its users.",[33,107,108,111],{},[26,109,110],{},"Sub-cent transfers."," Tempo states that standard stablecoin transfers have sub-cent fees.",[33,113,114,117],{},[26,115,116],{},"Finality."," Consensus runs Simplex BFT for deterministic sub-second finality, and the FAQ describes settlement \"with no re-orgs.\"",[33,119,120,123],{},[26,121,122],{},"Payment lanes."," Dedicated blockspace for payment transactions, so fees stay predictable when the network is busy with other activity.",[33,125,126,129],{},[26,127,128],{},"Transfer memos."," A 32-byte memo can ride on a stablecoin payment and be matched to a customer, invoice, or order through transfer events.",[11,131,132],{},"Tempo is EVM compatible, with documented differences around fee tokens and wallet behavior. Solidity contracts and standard Ethereum tooling work.",[49,134,136],{"id":135},"what-is-arc","What is Arc?",[11,138,139,140,145],{},"Arc is Circle's layer 1 blockchain, built around USDC. Circle opened the public mainnet on September 16, 2026, ",[18,141,144],{"href":142,"rel":143},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theblock.co\u002Fnews\u002Fecosystems\u002F2026-09-16-circle-launches-arc-mainnet-with-blackrock-and-visa-among-validators-mints-10-billion-arc-tokens-415250",[86],"according to The Block",", with users paying gas in USDC and transactions finalizing in under a second.",[11,147,148,149,154],{},"From ",[18,150,153],{"href":151,"rel":152},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arc.io\u002F",[86],"Arc's own site"," as of launch:",[30,156,157,163,168,174,180],{},[33,158,159,162],{},[26,160,161],{},"USDC as native gas."," Fees are paid in USDC, so a wallet holding only USDC can transact.",[33,164,165],{},[26,166,167],{},"Deterministic sub-second finality.",[33,169,170,173],{},[26,171,172],{},"EVM compatible."," Existing Ethereum contracts and tools work.",[33,175,176,179],{},[26,177,178],{},"Opt-in privacy."," Arc describes configurable privacy that supports compliance obligations.",[33,181,182,185],{},[26,183,184],{},"Institutional validators."," Circle named 11 founding validators in August 2026, including BlackRock, DTCC, ICE, Mastercard, and Visa, joining in phases.",[11,187,188],{},"Circle also minted an ARC token at launch. The Block reports Circle called this a technical milestone and not a commitment to a public token launch. Gas stays in USDC either way.",[49,190,192],{"id":191},"how-do-tempo-and-arc-compare-with-general-purpose-chains","How do Tempo and Arc compare with general-purpose chains?",[11,194,195],{},"The main trade is design versus depth. Payment chains are built for transfers. General-purpose chains have years of liquidity, exchange support, and wallet coverage.",[197,198,199,223],"table",{},[200,201,202],"thead",{},[203,204,205,208,211,214,217,220],"tr",{},[206,207],"th",{},[206,209,210],{},"Tempo",[206,212,213],{},"Arc",[206,215,216],{},"Ethereum",[206,218,219],{},"Solana",[206,221,222],{},"Tron",[224,225,226,245,265,284,301],"tbody",{},[203,227,228,232,235,238,241,243],{},[229,230,231],"td",{},"Built for",[229,233,234],{},"Stablecoin payments",[229,236,237],{},"USDC finance and payments",[229,239,240],{},"General purpose",[229,242,240],{},[229,244,240],{},[203,246,247,250,253,256,259,262],{},[229,248,249],{},"Fee paid in",[229,251,252],{},"USD stablecoins",[229,254,255],{},"USDC",[229,257,258],{},"ETH",[229,260,261],{},"SOL",[229,263,264],{},"TRX",[203,266,267,270,273,275,278,281],{},[229,268,269],{},"Time to finality",[229,271,272],{},"Under a second",[229,274,272],{},[229,276,277],{},"About 15 minutes",[229,279,280],{},"About 12.8 seconds",[229,282,283],{},"About 1 minute",[203,285,286,289,292,294,296,299],{},[229,287,288],{},"EVM compatible",[229,290,291],{},"Yes",[229,293,291],{},[229,295,291],{},[229,297,298],{},"No",[229,300,298],{},[203,302,303,306,309,311,313,315],{},[229,304,305],{},"Stablecoins on BlindPay",[229,307,308],{},"USDC, USDT",[229,310,255],{},[229,312,308],{},[229,314,308],{},[229,316,317],{},"USDT",[11,319,320,321,325],{},"Finality figures for the general-purpose chains come from each network's documentation and are collected, with links, in ",[18,322,324],{"href":323},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fbest-network-to-off-ramp-stablecoins","which network to use to off-ramp stablecoins",", along with fee models per chain.",[49,327,329],{"id":328},"why-were-payment-blockchains-built","Why were payment blockchains built?",[11,331,332],{},"They exist because general-purpose chains make payments teams do work that has nothing to do with paying someone. Three problems show up again and again.",[11,334,335,338],{},[26,336,337],{},"Gas tokens."," To send USDC on Ethereum you need ETH in the same wallet. Treasury teams end up topping up gas balances across wallets, and a payout fails when one runs dry. Paying fees in the stablecoin itself removes that chore.",[11,340,341,344],{},[26,342,343],{},"Fee spikes."," On a shared network, a popular token launch can raise the cost of a payroll run. Reserved payment capacity, like Tempo's payment lanes, is a direct answer.",[11,346,347,350,351,355],{},[26,348,349],{},"Finality you can book."," Accounting wants a point after which a payment cannot change. Deterministic finality gives a single moment, instead of \"wait for N confirmations.\" ",[18,352,354],{"href":353},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-api-sla-settlement-finality","Stablecoin API SLAs and settlement finality"," explains why that line matters for reconciliation.",[11,357,358,359,364,365,369],{},"Tempo and Arc are not the first. Plasma launched a mainnet beta on September 25, 2025 with fee-free USDT transfers during its initial rollout (",[18,360,363],{"href":361,"rel":362},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theblock.co\u002Fpost\u002F372300\u002Fstablecoin-layer-1-plasma-goes-live-introducing-xpl-token-and-defi-integrations",[86],"The Block","). Stable launched its mainnet on December 8, 2025 with USDT as the gas token (",[18,366,363],{"href":367,"rel":368},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theblock.co\u002Fpost\u002F381688\u002Fstable-launches-mainnet-native-token-foundation",[86],").",[49,371,373],{"id":372},"what-are-the-limits-of-payment-blockchains","What are the limits of payment blockchains?",[11,375,376],{},"They are new, and newness has costs. Liquidity, exchange listings, and wallet support take time to build.",[30,378,379,385,396,402],{},[33,380,381,384],{},[26,382,383],{},"Thinner liquidity."," Chains that launched in 2026 hold far less USDC and USDT than Ethereum, Tron, or Solana, which have had years to build it. A large transfer may need to cross chains first.",[33,386,387,390,391,395],{},[26,388,389],{},"Fewer counterparties."," Your supplier's exchange or wallet may not support Arc or Tempo yet. Sending to a network the recipient cannot receive on is one of the ",[18,392,394],{"href":393},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-payout-mistakes","common stablecoin payout mistakes",".",[33,397,398,401],{},[26,399,400],{},"Validator models."," Both chains launched with selected validator sets of known institutions. That suits regulated payments, but it is a different trust model from a fully open network. Read each chain's documentation and decide what you need.",[33,403,404,407],{},[26,405,406],{},"Short track records."," Months of mainnet history, not years.",[11,409,410],{},"None of these limits matter much if the stablecoin leg is invisible to you, which is the case when a provider handles it.",[49,412,414],{"id":413},"does-the-chain-matter-if-you-only-want-bank-to-bank-payments","Does the chain matter if you only want bank-to-bank payments?",[11,416,417],{},"Usually not. If a business sends dollars and its supplier receives pesos, the bank rails at each end decide most of the timing, and the chain in the middle settles in seconds either way.",[11,419,420],{},"That is why BlindPay offers two ways in. With the bank-rail flavor of the API, you work with virtual accounts, payins, and payouts, and the stablecoin settlement happens behind the scenes. With the advanced flavor, you pick the network and token yourself, which matters if your users already hold USDC on a specific chain.",[11,422,423,424,428],{},"BlindPay settles on nine networks: Ethereum, Polygon, Base, Arbitrum, Tempo, Arc, Stellar, Solana, and Tron. Per its ",[18,425,427],{"href":426},"\u002Fdocs\u002Fkb\u002Fsupported-chains","supported chains reference",", Tempo carries USDC and USDT, Arc carries USDC, and both work for payins, payouts, and external wallets. Arc is part of the cross-chain USDC transfer route set through Circle CCTP v2. Tempo supports same-network transfers.",[49,430,432],{"id":431},"how-should-you-choose-a-chain-for-payments","How should you choose a chain for payments?",[11,434,435],{},"Pick the chain your counterparties already use, then check cost and finality. A cheaper chain is useless if the recipient's wallet does not support it.",[437,438,439,445,451,457,463],"ol",{},[33,440,441,444],{},[26,442,443],{},"Ask where the money already sits."," If customers hold USDT on Tron, start there.",[33,446,447,450],{},[26,448,449],{},"Check the recipient side."," Confirm the receiving wallet, exchange, or off-ramp supports the network and token pair.",[33,452,453,456],{},[26,454,455],{},"Compare total cost, not gas."," Gas is usually the smallest line. Spread and payout fees are bigger.",[33,458,459,462],{},[26,460,461],{},"Decide if you need the features."," Stablecoin gas, memos, and reserved capacity are worth it if you run high volumes or many wallets.",[33,464,465,468],{},[26,466,467],{},"Test on testnet."," Tempo and Arc both have testnets, and BlindPay development instances support them with its USDB test token.",[11,470,471,472,395],{},"For the parties involved at each step, see ",[18,473,475],{"href":474},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwho-is-involved-in-a-blockchain-payment","who is involved in a blockchain payment",[49,477,479],{"id":478},"what-to-do-next","What to do next",[11,481,482],{},"Map where your senders and recipients hold stablecoins today. If it is Ethereum, Tron, or Solana, stay there and let the off-ramp handle the rest. If you are building a new flow and want stablecoin gas and sub-second finality, test Tempo or Arc on a development instance.",[11,484,485,486,488],{},"Check the network and token pairs BlindPay accepts in the ",[18,487,427],{"href":426}," before you design your first payout.",{"title":490,"searchDepth":491,"depth":491,"links":492},"",2,[493,494,495,496,497,498,499,500,501],{"id":51,"depth":491,"text":52},{"id":77,"depth":491,"text":78},{"id":135,"depth":491,"text":136},{"id":191,"depth":491,"text":192},{"id":328,"depth":491,"text":329},{"id":372,"depth":491,"text":373},{"id":413,"depth":491,"text":414},{"id":431,"depth":491,"text":432},{"id":478,"depth":491,"text":479},"stablecoins","2026-09-29","Tempo and Arc charge fees in stablecoins and finalize in under a second. How payment blockchains differ from Ethereum and Solana, and when to use them.","md",[507,509,512,515,518,521],{"q":52,"a":508},"A payment blockchain is a network designed mainly to move stablecoins, not to run every kind of app. The common traits are fees paid in a stablecoin instead of a volatile gas token, deterministic finality in about a second, and features payments teams ask for, such as memo fields for reconciliation or reserved space for transfers. Tempo and Arc are the two best-known examples in 2026.",{"q":510,"a":511},"Is Tempo live on mainnet?","Yes. Tempo's own FAQ says its mainnet has been live since March 18, 2026, with chain ID 4217. Tempo was incubated by Stripe and Paradigm. Network fees are paid in USD stablecoins rather than a native gas token, and Tempo says standard stablecoin transfers cost less than a cent. It is EVM compatible, so Ethereum tooling works with a few documented differences.",{"q":513,"a":514},"Is Circle's Arc live on mainnet?","Yes. Circle opened Arc's public mainnet on September 16, 2026, according to The Block. Arc uses USDC as its native gas token, advertises deterministic sub-second finality, and is EVM compatible. Circle named 11 founding validator institutions, including BlackRock, DTCC, Mastercard, and Visa, which join in phases. BlindPay lists Arc's mainnet chain ID as 5042.",{"q":516,"a":517},"Are payment blockchains better than Ethereum or Solana for business payments?","Not automatically. They remove gas-token management and give fast, final settlement, which helps payments teams. But Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, and Tron hold far more stablecoin liquidity today and are supported by more wallets and exchanges. For most businesses the network matters less than the off-ramp at the end, because the bank payout usually decides how fast money arrives.",{"q":519,"a":520},"Does BlindPay support Tempo and Arc?","Yes. BlindPay settles stablecoins on nine networks: Ethereum, Polygon, Base, Arbitrum, Tempo, Arc, Stellar, Solana, and Tron. Tempo supports USDC and USDT, and Arc supports USDC. Both work for payins and payouts and as external wallets. Teams using BlindPay's bank-rail API flavor never have to pick a network at all, since the stablecoin leg settles behind the scenes.",{"q":522,"a":523},"Do I need to hold a gas token to pay on Tempo or Arc?","No. That is the main design difference. On Tempo, fees are paid from a supported USD stablecoin the account already holds, or sponsored by someone else. On Arc, USDC is the gas token. On Ethereum or Solana, a wallet needs ETH or SOL to send USDC, which is a common reason a stablecoin payout fails at the first step.",false,{"author":526},"BlindPay Team",true,"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fpayment-blockchains-tempo-arc-explained","---\ntitle: \"What are payment blockchains? Tempo, Arc, and stablecoin-native chains explained\"\nseoTitle: \"Payment blockchains explained: Tempo, Arc, and more\"\ndescription: \"Tempo and Arc charge fees in stablecoins and finalize in under a second. How payment blockchains differ from Ethereum and Solana, and when to use them.\"\ndate: \"2026-09-29\"\nupdated: \"2026-09-29\"\ncategory: \"stablecoins\"\nauthor: \"BlindPay Team\"\nfaq:\n  - q: \"What is a payment blockchain?\"\n    a: \"A payment blockchain is a network designed mainly to move stablecoins, not to run every kind of app. The common traits are fees paid in a stablecoin instead of a volatile gas token, deterministic finality in about a second, and features payments teams ask for, such as memo fields for reconciliation or reserved space for transfers. Tempo and Arc are the two best-known examples in 2026.\"\n  - q: \"Is Tempo live on mainnet?\"\n    a: \"Yes. Tempo's own FAQ says its mainnet has been live since March 18, 2026, with chain ID 4217. Tempo was incubated by Stripe and Paradigm. Network fees are paid in USD stablecoins rather than a native gas token, and Tempo says standard stablecoin transfers cost less than a cent. It is EVM compatible, so Ethereum tooling works with a few documented differences.\"\n  - q: \"Is Circle's Arc live on mainnet?\"\n    a: \"Yes. Circle opened Arc's public mainnet on September 16, 2026, according to The Block. Arc uses USDC as its native gas token, advertises deterministic sub-second finality, and is EVM compatible. Circle named 11 founding validator institutions, including BlackRock, DTCC, Mastercard, and Visa, which join in phases. BlindPay lists Arc's mainnet chain ID as 5042.\"\n  - q: \"Are payment blockchains better than Ethereum or Solana for business payments?\"\n    a: \"Not automatically. They remove gas-token management and give fast, final settlement, which helps payments teams. But Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, and Tron hold far more stablecoin liquidity today and are supported by more wallets and exchanges. For most businesses the network matters less than the off-ramp at the end, because the bank payout usually decides how fast money arrives.\"\n  - q: \"Does BlindPay support Tempo and Arc?\"\n    a: \"Yes. BlindPay settles stablecoins on nine networks: Ethereum, Polygon, Base, Arbitrum, Tempo, Arc, Stellar, Solana, and Tron. Tempo supports USDC and USDT, and Arc supports USDC. Both work for payins and payouts and as external wallets. Teams using BlindPay's bank-rail API flavor never have to pick a network at all, since the stablecoin leg settles behind the scenes.\"\n  - q: \"Do I need to hold a gas token to pay on Tempo or Arc?\"\n    a: \"No. That is the main design difference. On Tempo, fees are paid from a supported USD stablecoin the account already holds, or sponsored by someone else. On Arc, USDC is the gas token. On Ethereum or Solana, a wallet needs ETH or SOL to send USDC, which is a common reason a stablecoin payout fails at the first step.\"\n---\n\nA payment blockchain is a network built mainly to move stablecoins. Tempo (incubated by Stripe and Paradigm, live since March 18, 2026) and Circle's Arc (live since September 16, 2026) both charge fees in stablecoins instead of a volatile gas token and finalize transactions in under a second. They compete with general-purpose chains like Ethereum and Solana for payment flows.\n\nIf you are new to the basic split between the rail and the asset, start with [blockchain payments vs crypto payments](\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fblockchain-payments-vs-crypto-payments). This page is about the rail.\n\n**Key takeaways**\n\n- Payment blockchains pay fees in stablecoins (Tempo: USD stablecoins, Arc: USDC), so a sender never needs ETH or SOL.\n- Both advertise deterministic sub-second finality, which means a confirmed transfer cannot be rolled back.\n- Tempo reserves blockspace for payments and supports 32-byte transfer memos for reconciliation.\n- General-purpose chains still hold most stablecoin liquidity, so new chains win on design, not yet on depth.\n- BlindPay supports Tempo and Arc alongside seven other networks, nine in total.\n\n## What is a payment blockchain?\n\nA payment blockchain is a layer 1 network whose design choices start from moving stablecoins, not from hosting every kind of app. In practice that means three things: fees in a stablecoin, fast final settlement, and features that make payments easier to reconcile.\n\n> **Definition:** A **payment blockchain** (also called a stablecoin-native chain) is a blockchain where stablecoins are the primary asset, network fees are paid in a stablecoin, and the protocol includes payment features such as fast deterministic finality, reserved capacity for transfers, or memo fields.\n\nCompare that with Ethereum. It is a general-purpose network. USDC on Ethereum is one token among thousands, every transfer pays gas in ETH, and the fee moves with demand for the whole network, not just payments.\n\nNone of this changes what a stablecoin is. USDC on Arc is still USDC. The difference is the road it travels on.\n\n## What is Tempo?\n\nTempo is a layer 1 blockchain for stablecoin payments, incubated by Stripe and Paradigm. Its [FAQ](https:\u002F\u002Ftempo.xyz\u002Ffaq) says the mainnet has been live since March 18, 2026, with chain ID 4217.\n\nThe payment-specific features, per Tempo's FAQ and [developer docs](https:\u002F\u002Ftempo.xyz\u002Fdevelopers):\n\n- **Fees in stablecoins.** Network fees are paid in supported USD-denominated stablecoins. There is no volatile native gas token. Fees can also be sponsored by another account, so an app can pay for its users.\n- **Sub-cent transfers.** Tempo states that standard stablecoin transfers have sub-cent fees.\n- **Finality.** Consensus runs Simplex BFT for deterministic sub-second finality, and the FAQ describes settlement \"with no re-orgs.\"\n- **Payment lanes.** Dedicated blockspace for payment transactions, so fees stay predictable when the network is busy with other activity.\n- **Transfer memos.** A 32-byte memo can ride on a stablecoin payment and be matched to a customer, invoice, or order through transfer events.\n\nTempo is EVM compatible, with documented differences around fee tokens and wallet behavior. Solidity contracts and standard Ethereum tooling work.\n\n## What is Arc?\n\nArc is Circle's layer 1 blockchain, built around USDC. Circle opened the public mainnet on September 16, 2026, [according to The Block](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theblock.co\u002Fnews\u002Fecosystems\u002F2026-09-16-circle-launches-arc-mainnet-with-blackrock-and-visa-among-validators-mints-10-billion-arc-tokens-415250), with users paying gas in USDC and transactions finalizing in under a second.\n\nFrom [Arc's own site](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arc.io\u002F) as of launch:\n\n- **USDC as native gas.** Fees are paid in USDC, so a wallet holding only USDC can transact.\n- **Deterministic sub-second finality.**\n- **EVM compatible.** Existing Ethereum contracts and tools work.\n- **Opt-in privacy.** Arc describes configurable privacy that supports compliance obligations.\n- **Institutional validators.** Circle named 11 founding validators in August 2026, including BlackRock, DTCC, ICE, Mastercard, and Visa, joining in phases.\n\nCircle also minted an ARC token at launch. The Block reports Circle called this a technical milestone and not a commitment to a public token launch. Gas stays in USDC either way.\n\n## How do Tempo and Arc compare with general-purpose chains?\n\nThe main trade is design versus depth. Payment chains are built for transfers. General-purpose chains have years of liquidity, exchange support, and wallet coverage.\n\n| | Tempo | Arc | Ethereum | Solana | Tron |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Built for | Stablecoin payments | USDC finance and payments | General purpose | General purpose | General purpose |\n| Fee paid in | USD stablecoins | USDC | ETH | SOL | TRX |\n| Time to finality | Under a second | Under a second | About 15 minutes | About 12.8 seconds | About 1 minute |\n| EVM compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |\n| Stablecoins on BlindPay | USDC, USDT | USDC | USDC, USDT | USDC, USDT | USDT |\n\nFinality figures for the general-purpose chains come from each network's documentation and are collected, with links, in [which network to use to off-ramp stablecoins](\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fbest-network-to-off-ramp-stablecoins), along with fee models per chain.\n\n## Why were payment blockchains built?\n\nThey exist because general-purpose chains make payments teams do work that has nothing to do with paying someone. Three problems show up again and again.\n\n**Gas tokens.** To send USDC on Ethereum you need ETH in the same wallet. Treasury teams end up topping up gas balances across wallets, and a payout fails when one runs dry. Paying fees in the stablecoin itself removes that chore.\n\n**Fee spikes.** On a shared network, a popular token launch can raise the cost of a payroll run. Reserved payment capacity, like Tempo's payment lanes, is a direct answer.\n\n**Finality you can book.** Accounting wants a point after which a payment cannot change. Deterministic finality gives a single moment, instead of \"wait for N confirmations.\" [Stablecoin API SLAs and settlement finality](\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-api-sla-settlement-finality) explains why that line matters for reconciliation.\n\nTempo and Arc are not the first. Plasma launched a mainnet beta on September 25, 2025 with fee-free USDT transfers during its initial rollout ([The Block](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theblock.co\u002Fpost\u002F372300\u002Fstablecoin-layer-1-plasma-goes-live-introducing-xpl-token-and-defi-integrations)). Stable launched its mainnet on December 8, 2025 with USDT as the gas token ([The Block](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theblock.co\u002Fpost\u002F381688\u002Fstable-launches-mainnet-native-token-foundation)).\n\n## What are the limits of payment blockchains?\n\nThey are new, and newness has costs. Liquidity, exchange listings, and wallet support take time to build.\n\n- **Thinner liquidity.** Chains that launched in 2026 hold far less USDC and USDT than Ethereum, Tron, or Solana, which have had years to build it. A large transfer may need to cross chains first.\n- **Fewer counterparties.** Your supplier's exchange or wallet may not support Arc or Tempo yet. Sending to a network the recipient cannot receive on is one of the [common stablecoin payout mistakes](\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-payout-mistakes).\n- **Validator models.** Both chains launched with selected validator sets of known institutions. That suits regulated payments, but it is a different trust model from a fully open network. Read each chain's documentation and decide what you need.\n- **Short track records.** Months of mainnet history, not years.\n\nNone of these limits matter much if the stablecoin leg is invisible to you, which is the case when a provider handles it.\n\n## Does the chain matter if you only want bank-to-bank payments?\n\nUsually not. If a business sends dollars and its supplier receives pesos, the bank rails at each end decide most of the timing, and the chain in the middle settles in seconds either way.\n\nThat is why BlindPay offers two ways in. With the bank-rail flavor of the API, you work with virtual accounts, payins, and payouts, and the stablecoin settlement happens behind the scenes. With the advanced flavor, you pick the network and token yourself, which matters if your users already hold USDC on a specific chain.\n\nBlindPay settles on nine networks: Ethereum, Polygon, Base, Arbitrum, Tempo, Arc, Stellar, Solana, and Tron. Per its [supported chains reference](\u002Fdocs\u002Fkb\u002Fsupported-chains), Tempo carries USDC and USDT, Arc carries USDC, and both work for payins, payouts, and external wallets. Arc is part of the cross-chain USDC transfer route set through Circle CCTP v2. Tempo supports same-network transfers.\n\n## How should you choose a chain for payments?\n\nPick the chain your counterparties already use, then check cost and finality. A cheaper chain is useless if the recipient's wallet does not support it.\n\n1. **Ask where the money already sits.** If customers hold USDT on Tron, start there.\n2. **Check the recipient side.** Confirm the receiving wallet, exchange, or off-ramp supports the network and token pair.\n3. **Compare total cost, not gas.** Gas is usually the smallest line. Spread and payout fees are bigger.\n4. **Decide if you need the features.** Stablecoin gas, memos, and reserved capacity are worth it if you run high volumes or many wallets.\n5. **Test on testnet.** Tempo and Arc both have testnets, and BlindPay development instances support them with its USDB test token.\n\nFor the parties involved at each step, see [who is involved in a blockchain payment](\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwho-is-involved-in-a-blockchain-payment).\n\n## What to do next\n\nMap where your senders and recipients hold stablecoins today. If it is Ethereum, Tron, or Solana, stay there and let the off-ramp handle the rest. If you are building a new flow and want stablecoin gas and sub-second finality, test Tempo or Arc on a development instance.\n\nCheck the network and token pairs BlindPay accepts in the [supported chains reference](\u002Fdocs\u002Fkb\u002Fsupported-chains) before you design your first payout.\n",{"title":5,"description":504},"Payment blockchains explained: Tempo, Arc, and more","resources\u002Fmore\u002Fpayment-blockchains-tempo-arc-explained","QrbSXaarEiTG_yrPo7RVfzHxT09O2b1G5O5y8OMKFIo",[535,539,543,547,551,555,559,563,567,571,575,579,583,587,591,595,599,603,607,611,615,619,623,627,631,635,639,643,647,651,655,659,663,667,671,675,679,683,684,688,692,696,700,704,708,712,716,720,724,728,732,735,739],{"path":536,"title":537,"description":538},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fare-stablecoin-cards-safe","Are stablecoin cards safe? Peg, issuer, custody, and smart contract risks","The five risks of a stablecoin card: peg, program failure, custody, smart contracts, and fraud, with the August 2026 incident and a safety checklist.",{"path":540,"title":541,"description":542},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fare-stablecoin-payments-safe","Are stablecoin payments safe? The risks businesses should check, and how to reduce them","Stablecoin payments are as safe as the issuer, the network, the provider, and your own controls. The seven risks to check, with real incidents and fixes.",{"path":544,"title":545,"description":546},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fbest-stablecoin-apis-cross-border-payments-2026","Best stablecoin APIs for cross-border payments in 2026: BlindPay, Circle, Stripe, Bridge, and Fireblocks compared","Five stablecoin APIs compared for cross-border payments: primary use case, pre-funding requirement, payout regions, and developer experience, plus how to choose by buyer scenario.",{"path":548,"title":549,"description":550},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fbest-stablecoin-apis-2026","Best stablecoin APIs in 2026: 10 providers compared","Ten stablecoin APIs compared for 2026: BlindPay, Circle, Bridge, BVNK, Fireblocks, Crossmint, Zero Hash, Conduit, Sphere, and Borderless, across rails, custody, pricing, and compliance.",{"path":552,"title":553,"description":554},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fbest-virtual-account-providers-stablecoins","Best virtual account providers for stablecoins in 2026: BlindPay, Bridge, HIFI, Noah, and Conduit compared","Five virtual account providers for fiat and stablecoins compared on deposit rails, settlement chains, account naming, and custody, plus a 30-day test plan.",{"path":556,"title":557,"description":558},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fbusiness-vs-consumer-crypto-on-ramps","Business vs consumer crypto on-ramps: what changes when a company buys stablecoins","A consumer on-ramp sells crypto to one person, usually by card. A business on-ramp turns company bank deposits into stablecoins via an API. What differs.",{"path":560,"title":561,"description":562},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fcrypto-debit-card-vs-stablecoin-card-for-business","Crypto debit card vs. stablecoin card for business: custody, accounting, tax, and controls compared","Why a company should treat crypto debit cards and stablecoin cards differently: budget predictability, custody risk, per-swipe tax events, accounting, and spend controls.",{"path":564,"title":565,"description":566},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fcustodial-vs-self-custodial-stablecoin-cards","Custodial vs. self-custodial stablecoin cards: who actually holds your money?","Who holds the stablecoins behind your card: custodial vs. self-custodial models, smart-account allowances, failure modes, and what August 2026 showed.",{"path":568,"title":569,"description":570},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fdo-you-need-a-crypto-wallet-for-stablecoin-payments","Do you need a crypto wallet to make stablecoin payments?","Who needs a wallet in a stablecoin payment, who doesn't, and how payment providers hide keys, networks, gas, and confirmations from payers and recipients.",{"path":572,"title":573,"description":574},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fdoes-network-change-offramp-quote","Does the blockchain network change your off-ramp quote? What moves and what doesn't","Network and token are inputs to every payout quote. Which quote lines can change by chain, where gas sits, and how to compare two networks fairly.",{"path":576,"title":577,"description":578},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-platform-vs-payout-api","Full-stack stablecoin platform vs payout API: which layer does your product need?","Issuance, wallets, cards, orchestration, or local payouts? Map your job to the right layer of the stablecoin stack, with BlindPay and Bridge as examples.",{"path":580,"title":581,"description":582},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fhow-merchants-accept-stablecoin-payments","How merchants accept stablecoin payments: the complete 2026 guide","To accept stablecoin payments you need a receiving method, an off-ramp to local currency, and a settlement account. The full flow, costs, and options.",{"path":584,"title":585,"description":586},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-payment-orchestration-cross-border-payouts","How stablecoins fit into payment orchestration for cross-border payouts","Stablecoins are a settlement rail inside an orchestration strategy, not a replacement for banking. What changes: pre-funding, settlement time, FX visibility, and last-mile delivery over Pix and SPEI.",{"path":588,"title":589,"description":590},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Faccept-bank-transfers-settle-in-stablecoins","How to accept bank transfers and settle in stablecoins using virtual accounts","Accept ACH, wire, and SWIFT and settle in USDC or USDT: the flow, the token, chain, and custody choices, and when a virtual account beats a memo code.",{"path":592,"title":593,"description":594},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fhow-to-choose-a-blockchain-payment-api","How to choose a blockchain payment API: a technical buyer's checklist","Seven checks for a blockchain payment API: SDKs, OpenAPI quality, abstraction level, networks, built-in compliance, local payout rails, and pricing.",{"path":596,"title":597,"description":598},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fhow-to-choose-a-stablecoin-api","How to choose a stablecoin API: the 6 questions that actually matter","Six criteria for evaluating a stablecoin API: pre-funding, compliance automation, local payout rails, settlement speed, developer experience, and pricing transparency, with a scorecard you can send to every vendor.",{"path":600,"title":601,"description":602},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fhow-to-evaluate-a-wallet-integration-provider","How to evaluate a wallet integration provider: 12-point checklist","A 12-point checklist for choosing a wallet or stablecoin payments provider: custody, chains, rails, pricing, compliance, SOC 2, SLAs, and AI tooling.",{"path":604,"title":605,"description":606},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fhow-to-fund-a-stablecoin-card","How to fund a stablecoin card: exchanges, wallet transfers, virtual accounts, and bank deposits","Four ways to fund a stablecoin card, compared by speed, cost, and control: exchange withdrawal, wallet transfer, virtual account deposit, and card top-up.",{"path":608,"title":609,"description":610},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fis-stripe-a-stablecoin-api","Is Stripe a stablecoin API? What a payout API, Stripe, and Bridge each do","Partly. Stripe offers stablecoin checkout and balances, and owns Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure API. What each covers for cross-border payouts.",{"path":612,"title":613,"description":614},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fis-xrp-a-stablecoin","Is XRP a stablecoin? No, and here is the difference","XRP is not a stablecoin: its price floats freely with the market. Ripple's actual stablecoin is RLUSD. Here is how the two differ and why it matters.",{"path":616,"title":617,"description":618},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fotc-quote-vs-standard-quote","OTC quotes vs standard quotes for large BRL on-ramps: how a 10-second quote works","An OTC quote prices a large BRL to USDT on-ramp through an OTC desk, locks for 10 seconds, and lists fees as lines. When to pick it over a standard quote.",{"path":620,"title":621,"description":622},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fonramp-offramp-liquidity-glossary","On-ramp and off-ramp liquidity glossary: 40 terms for live quotes, spread, and settlement","Live quote, expiry, spread, slippage, basis points, depth, market maker, RFQ, pre-funding: the 40 terms behind on\u002Foff-ramp liquidity, in plain English.",{"path":624,"title":625,"description":626},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fonchain-liquidity-vs-offramp-liquidity","Onchain liquidity vs off-ramp liquidity: why a deep DEX pool doesn't mean a deep BRL payout","Onchain liquidity is tokens in pools. Off-ramp liquidity is local currency a provider can pay into bank accounts. Why one doesn't predict the other.",{"path":628,"title":629,"description":630},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-api-pricing-explained","Stablecoin API pricing: mint fees, spread, and what you actually pay","The basis-point figure on a stablecoin provider's pricing page rarely matches the invoice, because mint fees, burn fees, spread, and issuer fees usually live below the line the marketing page shows.",{"path":632,"title":633,"description":634},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-api-vs-crypto-payment-gateway","Stablecoin API vs crypto payment gateway: what's the difference?","A crypto payment gateway accepts crypto at checkout. A stablecoin API moves money across borders through code, and neither side needs a wallet.",{"path":636,"title":637,"description":638},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-api-vs-traditional-cross-border-rails","Stablecoin API vs traditional cross-border rails: a plain-English guide for payments teams","A stablecoin API moves money across borders using dollar-pegged tokens like USDC instead of correspondent banks. How the flow works, what no pre-funding means, and a side-by-side table against SWIFT.",{"path":640,"title":641,"description":642},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-b2b-payments-by-region","Stablecoin B2B payments in 2025: volume, regions, and what the data misses","B2B stablecoin payments hit $226 billion in 2025, per McKinsey and Artemis. Where payments start, why Latin America looks tiny, and what blocks scale.",{"path":644,"title":645,"description":646},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-card-vs-crypto-debit-prepaid-credit","Stablecoin card vs. crypto debit card vs. prepaid vs. credit: which type of crypto card is which?","Four kinds of crypto card compared: funding source, when conversion happens, tax timing, volatility, fees to check, and who each one suits.",{"path":648,"title":649,"description":650},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-depeg-risk-payments","Stablecoin depeg risk for payment companies: what past depegs teach and how to set limits","A depeg hurts a payment flow only while you hold the stablecoin. What USDC's 2023 depeg and UST's collapse teach, and the limits and triggers to set.",{"path":652,"title":653,"description":654},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-payments-statistics-2026","Stablecoin payment statistics 2026: volume, B2B share, and cross-border data","Sourced stablecoin payment statistics for 2026: real payment volume vs transfer volume, B2B share, domestic vs cross-border, top markets, and chains.",{"path":656,"title":657,"description":658},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoins-vs-bitcoin-for-business-payments","Stablecoins vs Bitcoin for business payments: price risk, settlement, accounting, and rules","Stablecoins or Bitcoin for business payments? Compare price stability, settlement, US tax, the GENIUS Act, and issuer risk, with a clear decision rule.",{"path":660,"title":661,"description":662},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-card-statistics-2026","State of stablecoin cards 2026: volume, programs, networks, and risks (data report)","Sourced stablecoin card statistics for 2026: Visa volume and programs, monthly onchain spend, average ticket, chain and token mix, and incidents.",{"path":664,"title":665,"description":666},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Ftypes-of-stablecoin-apis","Types of stablecoin APIs: issuer, wallet, orchestration, payout, and non-custodial APIs compared","The five types of stablecoin APIs, what each one does, and who holds the funds and the compliance work in each. Plus how they differ from exchange APIs.",{"path":668,"title":669,"description":670},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fusdc-vs-usdt-for-payments","USDC vs USDT for payments: which should businesses use?","USDC offers stronger reserve transparency and US regulatory posture; USDT offers deeper liquidity in emerging markets. Most payment flows should support both.",{"path":672,"title":673,"description":674},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fvirtual-account-fees","Virtual account fees: every cost between the payer's bank and the stablecoin wallet","Monthly, deposit, wire, SWIFT, conversion, and partner fees on a virtual account: who pays each one, and a worked 10,000 USD wire to USDC example.",{"path":676,"title":677,"description":678},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fvisa-mastercard-stablecoin-settlement","Visa and Mastercard stablecoin settlement explained: what changed in 2025 and 2026","How Visa's USDC settlement and $7B run rate, Mastercard's BVNK deal, and INFINIOS in Bahrain change card settlement, and what stays the same for payouts.",{"path":680,"title":681,"description":682},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwallet-api-vs-embedded-wallet-sdk-vs-white-label","Wallet API vs embedded SDK vs white-label: which fits?","Compare the three wallet integration models on control, launch time, engineering effort, security, lock-in, and cost, with a five-question decision tree.",{"path":528,"title":5,"description":504},{"path":685,"title":686,"description":687},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Ftypes-of-crypto-off-ramps","What are the types of crypto off-ramps? Payment APIs, off-ramp wallets, exchanges, OTC desks, and wallet ramps compared","The five kinds of crypto off-ramp compared: who each serves, who holds funds, limits, trade-offs, consumer vs business, and why stablecoins win.",{"path":689,"title":690,"description":691},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwhat-happens-on-chain-in-a-stablecoin-payment","What happens on-chain in a stablecoin payment? A step-by-step walkthrough","A stablecoin payment in five steps: bank deposit, conversion to USDC or USDT, on-chain delivery to a wallet, payout authorization, and local currency out.",{"path":693,"title":694,"description":695},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Frfq-pricing-stablecoin-fx-explained","What is RFQ (request for quote) in stablecoin FX, and how does it relate to payouts?","RFQ is a pricing model where a taker asks approved liquidity providers for executable quotes and takes the best. How it works in stablecoin FX and payouts.",{"path":697,"title":698,"description":699},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwhat-is-usdc","What is USDC? The dollar-pegged stablecoin explained","USDC is a dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Circle, backed 1:1 by cash and short-term Treasuries and redeemable for US dollars. How it works and where it's used.",{"path":701,"title":702,"description":703},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwhat-is-a-stablecoin-api","What is a stablecoin API? Infrastructure explained","A stablecoin API lets businesses move money with stablecoins through code: wallets, conversion, local payout rails, and compliance behind one integration.",{"path":705,"title":706,"description":707},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwhat-is-a-stablecoin-backed-card","What is a stablecoin-backed card? How spending USDC with a card works, in plain English","A stablecoin-backed card spends USDC or USDT wherever Visa or Mastercard works. The four parts behind it, who does what, and where the money comes from.",{"path":709,"title":710,"description":711},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwhat-is-a-stablecoin","What is a stablecoin? Definition, types, and how they work","A stablecoin is a digital token designed to hold a fixed value, usually one US dollar. Learn how they stay stable, the main types, and what they are used for.",{"path":713,"title":714,"description":715},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwhat-is-an-off-ramp-wallet","What is an off-ramp wallet? A deposit address that pays out to a bank account","An off-ramp wallet turns every USDC or USDT deposit into fiat paid to a linked bank account, with no quote or payout call. How it works, fees, minimums.",{"path":717,"title":718,"description":719},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwhat-is-crypto-wallet-integration","What is crypto wallet integration? A developer's guide","Crypto wallet integration adds wallets, key custody, signing, and compliance to an app. The six components, three integration models, and cost drivers.",{"path":721,"title":722,"description":723},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwhat-is-stablecoin-card-issuing","What is stablecoin card issuing? How it works, who uses it, and how it differs from crypto debit cards","Stablecoin card issuing explained: how a USDC or USDT balance pays a card merchant in local currency, who runs each layer, and how it differs from a crypto debit card.",{"path":725,"title":726,"description":727},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwhat-is-stablecoin-infrastructure","What is stablecoin infrastructure? The 8 layers of a stablecoin payments stack","Stablecoin infrastructure is the stack that issues, moves, converts, secures, and checks stablecoins. Here are its 8 layers and who provides each.",{"path":729,"title":730,"description":731},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fstablecoin-card-demand-by-country","Where stablecoin card demand is growing: the US, India, UAE, Vietnam, Pakistan, and beyond","Which countries ask AI about stablecoin cards most, why interest is rising in India, the UAE, Vietnam, and Pakistan, and where local payouts matter.",{"path":323,"title":733,"description":734},"Which network should you use to off-ramp stablecoins? Finality, fees, and confirmations by chain","How Ethereum, Polygon, Base, Arbitrum, Solana, Tron, Stellar, Tempo, and Arc compare for off-ramps: time to finality, fee model, and which tokens work.",{"path":736,"title":737,"description":738},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fbest-stablecoin-for-card-spending","Which stablecoin is best for card spending? USDC vs USDT vs euro stablecoins","Which stablecoins power crypto cards in 2026: USDC vs USDT vs euro stablecoins and synthetic dollars, compared on reserves, rules, chains, and support.",{"path":740,"title":741,"description":742},"\u002Fresources\u002Fmore\u002Fwhy-onramp-and-offramp-rates-differ","Why are on-ramp and off-ramp rates different? Bid, ask, and the round-trip cost","Buying stablecoins and selling them back happen at two prices. How bid, ask, and mid-market rates work, and how to calculate a round-trip cost.",1792461840365]