Tempo Secures Ethereum Expert Dankrad Feist Following $500M Investment

Tempo Welcomes Ethereum Researcher Dankrad Feist

Stripe and Paradigm-supported payments network Tempo has onboarded Dankrad Feist, a prominent Ethereum researcher, following a significant $500 million Series A funding round led by Greenoaks and Thrive Capital. This investment values Tempo at $5 billion, as reported by Fortune.

Feist, previously with the Ethereum Foundation, announced his move to Tempo on Friday while maintaining an advisory role in Ethereum's research initiatives. His recruitment is a strategic step for Tempo as it aims to enhance blockchain scalability and efficiency in stablecoin transactions.

Continued Commitment to Blockchain Development

In a brief announcement on X, Feist expressed enthusiasm about joining Tempo, highlighting his commitment to advancing practical blockchain solutions that uphold decentralization principles. He will continue advising on Ethereum's scaling features and user experience improvements.

Dankrad has been an excellent researcher and has made immensely valuable contributions to the Ethereum that we know and love today, including Danksharding, consensus research and much more. Wishing him luck in his new efforts. https://t.co/dlSwu3fpen

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) October 17, 2025

Tempo's Vision for Stablecoin Transactions

Patrick Collison, Strike founder, introduced Tempo with a clear goal: to streamline stablecoin and high-volume dollar transactions for merchants and treasuries. Feist's expertise, particularly in Danksharding and other scaling proposals, is expected to significantly contribute to Tempo's mission of reducing settlement friction.

In parallel, Stripe's startup Bridge is pursuing a national bank trust charter to comply with the Genius Act, aiming to expand its financial infrastructure capabilities. The addition of Feist signals Tempo's ambition to rival leading blockchain platforms like Solana and Ethereum in protocol development.

The Rise of Stablecoin-Centric Chains

As confidence in stablecoin-driven global payment systems grows, Tempo isn't alone in this pursuit. Circle is developing Arc, an open Layer-1 platform designed for stablecoin finance, while Tether's Plasma chain has launched in mainnet beta, emphasizing instant, low-cost stablecoin transfers. These developments underscore the industry's focus on enhancing stablecoin transaction efficiency.