Market news yesterday (7th) reported that global online payment giant Stripe is about to launch its own L1 Block Chain, sparking high attention from the industry and crypto community. Experts analyze that if this rumor is true, it could reshape the payment industry landscape and bring a brand new financial experience for global merchants and consumers.
Is Stripe Likely to Launch an L1 Block Chain?
According to X platform user @100y_eth's article on July 7th, although Stripe has not officially confirmed this news, the rumor alone is enough to ignite community discussion. The article points out that the credibility of Stripe launching an L1 Block Chain is not groundless, with reasons including:
- Traditional US financial circles' interest in Block Chain and stablecoin industries is rapidly heating up, with card organizations like Visa and Mastercard actively integrating Block Chain technology, and Robinhood recently announcing tokenized stock launch through Arbitrum Block Chain. These trends provide a reasonable background for Stripe's entry into L1 Block Chain.
- In fact, Stripe has been actively deploying in the Block Chain field. In February 2025, Stripe acquired stablecoin infrastructure company Bridge for approximately $1.1 billion; subsequently, in May 2025, Stripe launched stablecoin financial account services at its annual Sessions event, covering 101 countries worldwide, supporting merchants holding USDC issued by Circle and USDB issued by Bridge, and accessing funds through traditional banking systems (ACH, SEPA) and multiple Block Chain networks.
- Additionally, Stripe acquired Web3 wallet infrastructure company Privy in June, further strengthening its technical capabilities in the crypto ecosystem.
These actions indicate that Stripe may have laid the foundation for a potential Block Chain network, making the rumor of launching an L1 not entirely unfounded.
What Changes Will Stripe L1 Bring?
Although the news about Stripe launching an L1 is currently just a rumor and not officially confirmed, the article by @100y_eth points out that Stripe, as the world's most well-known payment service provider (PSP), plays a key role as a technical bridge connecting merchants, acquiring institutions, card organizations, and issuing banks, with its core services including:
- Multiple payment methods: Integrating credit cards, digital wallets, bank transfers, and local payment methods.
- Fraud detection and security: Using machine learning technology and PCI-DSS standards to prevent fraud.
- Multi-currency support: Providing automatic conversion functionality to facilitate international transactions.
- Reports and analysis: Offering transaction history and customer behavior insights to help merchants optimize operations.
- Technical and operational support: Simplifying payment system construction through APIs and SDKs, handling compliance, refunds, and other matters.
- Enhancing customer experience: Supporting subscription billing, installment payments, and other flexible payment scenarios.
- Merchant settlement: Collaborating with acquiring institutions or settling independently to transfer funds to merchants.
If Stripe realizes its plan to launch an L1 Block Chain, potential application scenarios and innovative services may include:
1. Basic Scenarios:
- Stablecoin Financial Account Integration: Stripe currently provides stablecoin financial accounts in 101 countries, supporting deposits and withdrawals of USDC and USDB. If launching an L1, merchants are expected to access stablecoins through Stripe L1 and use them for various financial activities.
- Stablecoin Settlement Options: Merchants can choose to settle sales proceeds in US dollar stablecoins, which is highly attractive to merchants with high US dollar demand but limited access channels.
- Customer Wallet Services: Through the acquired Privy infrastructure, Stripe L1 may allow individual users to easily create Web3 wallets, use stablecoins for payments, and participate in financial activities within the ecosystem.
- Stablecoin Payment Options: Customers can link Web3 wallets and choose stablecoins as online payment methods, breaking existing credit card and bank account limitations.
2. Optimistic Scenarios:
- Direct Payments: Stripe L1 can enable customers to pay merchants directly with stablecoins, bypassing issuing banks and card organizations, reducing fees and accelerating settlement.
- Micro-payment Subscription Services: Block Chain supports micro-payments and streaming subscriptions. Stripe L1 can implement minute-based billing subscriptions through smart contracts, automatically executed, opening up new service possibilities for users and merchants.
- DeFi Applications: Payment systems often delay settlement due to fraud or refunds. Stripe L1 could use short-term deposits as liquidity pools, investing in DeFi protocols, lending markets, or bond investments, significantly improving capital efficiency.
Looking at this, while the rumor of Stripe launching an L1 Block Chain remains unconfirmed, its recent active deployment in stablecoin and Block Chain fields has drawn significant attention. If the rumor proves true, Stripe L1 might not only enhance payment efficiency but also subvert traditional financial roles and reshape the global payment ecosystem.
