Coins.ph has integrated payments-focused blockchain Tempo, allowing users to deposit and withdraw USDT and USDC on the network with settlement in about half a second and near-zero network fees, as the Philippine crypto platform seeks to make stablecoin transfers faster and cheaper for cross-border payments.

The integration went live on August 9, with Coins.ph publicly announcing the rollout on August 11. Through the integration, users can move USDT and USDC using the Tempo network directly through the Coins.ph platform.

Tempo is a blockchain designed specifically around payments and stablecoin transfers. Unlike general-purpose blockchains where payments compete for network capacity with other applications, Tempo uses dedicated payment lanes and other infrastructure intended to keep transaction costs predictable and settlement times short.

According to Coins.ph and Tempo, transactions on the network can reach deterministic finality in approximately 0.5 seconds. Network fees are paid in stablecoins rather than through a separate volatile token, with standard transfers described as costing near-zero or sub-cent amounts.

For users, the practical difference is less about the underlying blockchain and more about how quickly money can move.

A stablecoin transfer that settles in roughly half a second can potentially make digital dollars more useful for payments, remittances and business disbursements, particularly when compared with traditional cross-border payment processes that can take considerably longer and involve multiple intermediaries.

Christine Lim, Coins.ph’s global business development director for crypto, said the integration comes as stablecoins increasingly become a payment rail for cross-border commerce and remittances.

“Supporting USDT and USDC on Tempo ensures that transferring value locally or across borders is as seamless as sending an instant message.”

Josh Itzkovitz, Tempo’s go-to-market lead, similarly said the integration brings the network’s sub-second settlement and stablecoin-based fee structure into an application used by everyday consumers.

The development is particularly relevant in the Philippines, where overseas remittances, freelance work and internationally distributed businesses create substantial demand for cross-border money movement.

For overseas Filipino workers and their families, freelancers receiving payments from foreign clients, and small businesses paying or receiving money internationally, faster settlement can mean quicker access to funds. Lower network costs can also reduce one layer of expense in moving stablecoins between wallets and platforms.

However, the blockchain itself does not eliminate every cost or friction involved in a cross-border payment.

Users still access the service through Coins.ph, which maintains its own account, compliance and KYC requirements. Platform or other transaction-related charges may also apply. The near-zero figure primarily describes the cost of processing a transaction on the Tempo network.

The integration also builds on Coins.ph’s broader push to position stablecoins as part of everyday financial infrastructure rather than solely as crypto trading assets. The platform already supports stablecoin-based payments and offers USDT and USDC services alongside its other financial products.

Tempo, meanwhile, is specifically designed around high-volume stablecoin use cases, including cross-border payments, payroll, business payouts and machine or agent-initiated payments.

The network launched its mainnet in March 2026 and was incubated by payments company Stripe and crypto investment firm Paradigm. Its stated design emphasizes stablecoin payments, predictable fees and compatibility with existing Ethereum-based development tools.

Tempo’s validator ecosystem includes companies such as Stripe, Visa, MoneyGram and Zodia Custody, according to the company’s documentation.

The integration therefore connects two different parts of the stablecoin ecosystem: a consumer-facing, regulated financial platform on one side and payment-specific blockchain infrastructure on the other.

That distinction is important.

Stablecoins can theoretically move value around the world within seconds, but the real-world usefulness of that capability depends on the infrastructure connecting users to those networks. Regulated exchanges and wallets, banking relationships, liquidity, merchant acceptance and reliable on- and off-ramps all remain necessary for blockchain settlement to translate into usable money.

There are also risks that faster blockchain infrastructure does not resolve.

USDT and USDC remain dependent on their respective issuers, including their reserves, regulatory standing and operational systems. Tempo itself is also relatively new, meaning its performance, resilience and decentralization will need to be demonstrated over a longer period and at larger transaction volumes.

For now, the Coins.ph integration represents a practical test of whether payment-focused blockchain infrastructure can make stablecoin transfers more useful outside crypto-native environments.

The significance is therefore less about adding another blockchain option and more about reducing the distance between stablecoins as a technology and stablecoins as everyday money.

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