Tempo launches the Machine Payments Protocol (MPP), an open-source AI payments protocol backed by Stripe that enables fiat and cryptocurrency transfers and plugs into Stripe’s AI payments infrastructure.

MPP introduces sessions for continuous payments tied to autonomous agent activity by pre-allocating funds and aggregating thousands of micro-transactions into single settlements, reducing on-chain overhead.

The protocol is payment-method agnostic and open/extensible, supporting cards, wallets, stablecoins on Tempo, Bitcoin via Lightning, and other methods, with streaming payments via state channels.

Industry context shows AI developers and major platforms discussing stablecoins and AI in modern payments, with broader coverage of AI agents and digital currencies.

Major players like Visa are collaborating on AI-driven payment protocols, reflecting a trend toward machine-enabled commerce and digital currencies within existing rails.

The article includes sponsor mentions and tech podcast links but centers on the protocol launch and its use for AI agent payments.

Tempo is positioned within a wider movement, with related efforts from the Ethereum Foundation, ERC-8004, Google's protocol work, and Coinbase’s AI-agent wallet with guardrails.

Tempo originated from Stripe and Paradigm; announced in September with a $500 million Series A in October valuing the company at $5 billion, with Thrive Capital, Greenoaks, Sequoia, Ribbit, and SV Angel as investors; Stripe and Paradigm incubated but did not participate in the round.

Initial design partners include Anthropic, DoorDash, Mastercard, Nubank, OpenAI, Ramp, Revolut, Shopify, Standard Chartered, and Visa, targeting global payouts, cross-border remittances, embedded finance, and tokenized deposits.

The launch emphasizes solving cross-border remittance inefficiencies and aligns with the broader move toward AI-enabled blockchain-based payments.

Tempo’s launch features a payments directory with over 100 integrated providers spanning model services, developer infrastructure, and data services to support real payment workloads on stablecoins.

Beyond cross-border transfers and large-group payroll, Tempo enables programmable, autonomous payments for AI tools and traditional uses alike.