Catenaa, Saturday, February 14, 2026-Dan Romero and Varun Srinivasan, co-founders of decentralized social protocol Farcaster, have joined stablecoin-focused startup Tempo, signaling a pivot from social networks to blockchain payments.
Romero described stablecoins as a “generational opportunity” and will work with Tempo co-founder Matt Huang to expand mainstream adoption. Srinivasan will focus on building a global payments network that prioritizes speed, low cost, and transparency.
The hires follow Farcaster’s acquisition by decentralized social infrastructure firm Neynar. Farcaster’s former leadership team announced plans to step back from day-to-day operations, with Merkle Manufactory returning roughly $180 million raised from venture investors. Several members of the Farcaster team are also joining Tempo.
Tempo, incubated by Stripe and Paradigm, specializes in stablecoin settlement and cross-border payments. The company raised $500 million last year at a $5 billion valuation and launched a public testnet for its Layer 1 blockchain in December. Design partners reportedly include Mastercard, UBS, and Kalshi, while firms such as Klarna plan to issue stablecoins on the network.
The move positions Tempo to leverage blockchain for faster, more efficient payments infrastructure, while the Farcaster founders bring experience in decentralized systems and community engagement.
Industry observers note that the hires highlight a broader trend of Web3 developers shifting focus from social protocols to financial infrastructure, particularly in stablecoin and cross-border payment solutions.
