Tempo Tesnet, EVM, and the Race to Onchain Payments

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Dec 15, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Alex Gluchowski, Co-founder and CEO of Matter Labs, and Joey Isaacson, CEO of Nook, dive into the launch of the Tempo Testnet and its groundbreaking features like dedicated payment lanes and stablecoin-native gas. They tackle consumer app challenges and the critical role of testnets in institutional experimentation. Alex emphasizes the importance of EVM compatibility for developers, while Joey shares insights on Nook's self-custodial design and the future of DeFi. Together, they explore how stablecoins are revolutionizing cross-border payments.

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INSIGHT

Payments As First-Class Blockchain Citizens

Dedicated payment lanes make payments a first-class on-chain primitive to avoid disruption from unrelated congestion.
Stablecoin-native gas and deterministic sub-second finality optimize blockchains for real payment workflows.

ADVICE

Experiment On Testnets Early

Use testnets as low-risk environments to experiment and validate integrations before production.
Institutions should run through flows on testnets to learn developer experience and operational needs.

INSIGHT

Developer Experience Reveals Product Maturity

A polished developer experience reveals subtle but critical clues about a chain's product readiness.
Simon and Alex note that Stripe-like docs and interactive tooling accelerate adoption.

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On Ep. 61 of Tokenized, Simon Taylor, GTM @ Tempo and Cuy Sheffield, Head of Crypto @ Visa, are joined by Joey Isaacson, CEO @ Nook and Alex Gluchowski, Co-Founder & CEO Matter Labs to discuss Tempo Testnet launch, EVM, the race to onchain payments and more!

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction
02:37 Tempo Testnet launch with dedicated payment lanes and stablecoin-native gas
05:37 Discussion on consumer app challenges and the importance of payment rails
07:34 The role of testnets in development and institutional experimentation
10:18 Dedicated payment lanes and network resilience during congestion events
13:46 The importance and network effects of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)
18:50 Privacy, compliance, and interoperability for tokenized deposits
21:29 UAE regulatory advances and launch of the ADI Chain
25:11 Structure of Nook as a self-custodial, global DeFi app
33:13 Interactive Brokers launches instant account funding via stablecoins
41:13 Acquisition of crypto talent by traditional banks and fintechs
43:35 Regulatory clarity and the use of digital assets as collateral

Tokenized is sponsored by Visa

A world leader in digital payments, Visa is bridging the gap between traditional financial institutions and innovative blockchain networks, helping players in the payments ecosystem navigate the ever-evolving world of tokenized fiat currencies with confidence and ease. Learn more at visa.com/crypto.

Tokenized is presented by Bridge, a Stripe company.

Just like the internet made information global, stablecoins are making money global. And Bridge, a Stripe company, is the infrastructure powering that shift. Built for speed, scale, and simplicity, Bridge helps businesses send, store, convert, and spend stablecoins instantly, all without borders or having to navigate the complexities of crypto. Learn more at bridge.xyz

Tokenized is also presented by Fireblocks

With over $100 billion in monthly stablecoin volume, Fireblocks powers stablecoin strategies at scale with infrastructure that enables PSPs, fintechs, remitters and banks to issue, move, hold, and manage stablecoins. And it’s all done securely, at scale, and with built-in compliance. Learn more at fireblocks.com

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We’d also like to remind you that the views or opinions of our contributors today are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the companies they are representing. Nothing we say should be taken as tax, financial, investment or legal advice, do your own research!

Music by Henry McLean