Blockchain Funding Surge: $2.2B Raised as Tempo Leads with $500M Series A

The blockchain sector witnessed a flurry of investment activity between October 11 and October 18, with 25 projects collectively securing over $2.2 billion in funding. Venture capital dominated the landscape, accounting for $736 million across 17 deals, while seven startups opted to keep their funding details private.

Tempo, a payments-focused blockchain initiative backed by Stripe and Paradigm, emerged as the standout deal. The startup raised $500 million in a Series A round led by Greenoaks and Thrive Capital, achieving a $5 billion valuation. Notable participants included Sequoia, Ribbit Capital, and SV Angel. Tempo's infrastructure for stablecoins—positioned as the future backbone of global payments—will now challenge incumbents like Circle and Tether.

Corporate investments, token sales, and traditional venture rounds contributed to the week's momentum, underscoring institutional confidence in blockchain's role in fintech innovation. Partnerships with OpenAI, Shopify, and Visa signal Tempo's ambition to bridge crypto and mainstream commerce.