A proposal on Aave’s governance forum calls for deploying Aave Protocol V4 on Tempo Mainnet, marking a possible expansion of the lending protocol onto a payments-focused Layer 1 network. The request for comment follows a temp check that has already passed on Snapshot and now enters the community feedback and risk review phase.
Tempo, which launched its mainnet on March 18, 2026, is positioned around stablecoin-based payment activity. The proposal argues that bringing Aave V4 to the chain could extend Aave’s reach into fintech and enterprise-focused use cases while adding new stablecoin and real-world-asset markets over time.
Tempo’s payments-focused design
According to the proposal, Tempo was incubated by Stripe and Paradigm and is being developed with fintechs and large enterprises including DoorDash, Deel, Shopify and MoneyGram. The network is described as being built for payment-related stablecoin activity such as remittances, cross-border transfers, payroll, treasury management and embedded finance.
The chain uses ID 4217 and differs from many other networks in that it does not rely on a native gas token. Instead, transaction fees are paid in USD-denominated stablecoins. When no other token is specified, pathUSD serves as the default fee asset. Tempo also uses the TIP-20 standard for stablecoins and includes an enshrined stablecoin DEX that quotes against pathUSD.
How the initial Aave V4 setup would work
The proposed launch configuration includes one Liquidity Hub and two Spokes. Under the framework outlined in the request, the Tempo Core Hub would connect the market structure and allow pathUSD and OUSD to be borrowed against collateral supplied through the listed spokes.
In the Main Spoke, the proposal lists cbBTC and OUSD as collateral assets, with OUSD available to borrow. In the RWA Spoke, PRIME would be used as collateral, again with OUSD as the borrowable asset. The summary table in the post also lists OUSD, cbBTC and PRIME as assets tied to the Tempo Core Hub.
The author notes that the market scope could still change before any deployment. If additional assets become available on Tempo ahead of launch, the proposal may be updated to include them, but only after they undergo risk assessment.
Why Aave wants the deployment
The governance post says the Tempo team has been working on yield and credit products with enterprise partners since mainnet launch. In that context, the proposal presents Aave as lending infrastructure that could be used by enterprises and fintechs building on the network.
It also frames the move as a way for Aave to broaden its liquidity footprint beyond crypto-native activity, support stablecoin liquidity growth, and eventually list real-world assets available on Tempo. The proposal adds that a successful deployment could create another source of revenue for the Aave DAO.
What happens next
No final deployment decision has been made at this stage. The request for comment says the initial token listings and risk parameters will be updated based on analysis from Aave DAO risk service providers.
The next confirmed steps are to collect community feedback, complete a risk analysis by LlamaRisk, and then move the proposal to an ARFC Snapshot vote. Only after that process would the deployment path become clearer.
Source: governance.aave.com