---
path: /learn/microtransactions/
title: "Microtransactions with stablecoins: sub-cent payments at scale"
description: Enable true pay-per-use pricing with sub-cent stablecoin payments for APIs, content, IoT, and machine-to-machine commerce.
image: /og/2026-q4/og_2026-q4_learn_microtransactions_title-f5_v02.png
publishDate: 2026-05-04
updatedDate: 2026-10-26
keywords: microtransactions stablecoins, micropayments blockchain, pay per use stablecoins, sub-cent payments, machine to machine payments
label: Payments
timeToRead: 6
faq:
  - question: How small can a payment be on Tempo?
    answer: Tempo supports sub-cent network fees, but the viable payment size depends on token precision, current fees, funding costs, and the service being purchased. Payment sessions can aggregate small usage charges between onchain settlements; they do not make collection costless.
  - question: Do users need a crypto wallet?
    answer: A stablecoin payment needs an account and a way to authorize spending. A wallet provider can embed this experience in the product. The application still needs to define key management, funding, and recovery.
  - question: How does metered billing work on Tempo?
    answer: The application measures usage and decides which units are billable. Access keys can limit authorized spending by asset, amount, expiry, and permitted calls. Payment sessions use signed vouchers to account for cumulative usage against funded channels.
  - question: Can this support subscription models?
    answer: Yes. Access keys support periodic spending limits. Your application schedules charges, checks funding and authorization, and reconciles each billing period. A periodic limit does not add funds or extend the key's expiry.
  - question: Is this suitable for consumer-facing products?
    answer: Embedded wallets and fee sponsorship can simplify the payment experience. The product must still provide clear prices, purchase entitlements, recovery, and refund policies. Funding and conversion depend on the providers used.
  - question: How do MPP Sessions work for machine payments?
    answer: A payer funds a channel and signs cumulative offchain vouchers as it consumes a service. The recipient can settle vouchers onchain. Channels may need top-ups and periodic settlement, and closing releases remaining funds according to the channel rules. There is no fixed two-transaction limit for every session.
locale: en
canonical: https://tempo.xyz/learn/microtransactions/
---

# Microtransactions with stablecoins: sub-cent payments at scale

_Microtransactions charge for small units of value, such as an API request, an article, or a minute of service. Tempo supports sub-cent network fees and payment sessions that aggregate usage. The viable price depends on the full cost of delivering and collecting payment for that unit._

## Why collection cost matters

A fixed processing fee can exceed the value of a small purchase. Businesses may collect individual charges, aggregate usage into an invoice, or ask customers to fund a balance first. Compare the provider fees, funding costs, support work, and refund process for each approach rather than assuming every rail has the same minimum viable payment.

A fee floor can push businesses toward pricing models that do not match how their products are actually consumed. APIs get priced in monthly subscriptions rather than per-request. Content gets bundled into all-you-can-read plans. IoT data gets batched into hourly or daily invoices. Payment sessions offer another way to connect charges to the unit of service consumed.

## How stablecoins enable microtransactions

Stablecoin payments give developers several tools for collecting small charges:

- **Sub-cent network fees.** Tempo fees are paid in supported stablecoins. Check the complete cost of funding, service delivery, and collection before setting a price.
- **Near-instant onchain settlement.** A confirmed payment can support access to a service without waiting for a bank batch window. Applications still track submitted and confirmed states.
- **Programmable authorization.** Access keys bound what a service or agent may spend; application logic measures usage and decides when to charge.
- **Payment sessions.** Offchain vouchers account for usage against a funded channel, reducing the need for a separate onchain transaction for each service unit.

## Key use cases

### API and compute billing

Cloud providers and API services currently price by the hour, by the GB, or by monthly tier. With sub-cent stablecoin payments, billing can match actual consumption: charge per API request, per compute cycle, per inference call.

For example, an API could price each successful request individually. These are application pricing decisions, not Tempo rates. The service must define which requests are billable and how failed or repeated requests affect usage.

### Content monetization

A publisher can offer access to an individual article or a period of video playback. Define the purchased entitlement before requesting payment: which content, how long access lasts, and whether the customer may reopen it.

After verifying payment, record the purchase and grant access once. A repeated request should return the existing entitlement rather than charge again. Keep the customer account, payment evidence, refund policy, and content rights in the application. Payment infrastructure does not replace distribution rules or the publisher's customer support process.

### Machine-to-machine payments

As IoT networks grow and AI agents become more autonomous, machine-to-machine commerce requires payment rails that operate at machine speed and machine scale.

- **IoT sensor data.** A service could charge for each sensor reading or for a stream of readings, subject to its own pricing and authorization rules.
- **AI inference.** An AI agent pays for LLM tokens, image generation, or code execution per unit consumed. [MPP Sessions](/developers/docs/guide/machine-payments/streamed-payments), part of the Machine Payments Protocol co-authored by Tempo and Stripe, use signed vouchers to record usage against a funded channel. Channels may need top-ups and periodic settlement.
- **Autonomous agents.** Agents that book services, purchase resources, or transact with other agents need payment primitives that work without human approval for each transaction. Tempo access keys provide scoped, time-limited authorization for exactly this purpose.

### Subscriptions and recurring billing

Microtransaction infrastructure also supports subscription models. Tempo [access keys with periodic spending limits](/blog/subscriptions-on-tempo) let users authorize recurring charges without re-prompting or holding their keys.

A user subscribes by authorizing an access key scoped to a specific service with a per-period cap (for example, $50 per week for 50 weeks). The protocol validates each charge against the current period's remaining allowance and resets automatically. The application schedules charges and reconciles their results. Users can revoke an access key; applications should confirm revocation and keep cancellation status current.

This same mechanism works for both human subscribers and AI agents.

## Benefits beyond cost

Microtransactions with stablecoins deliver advantages beyond lower fees.

### Simplified reconciliation

Direct onchain payments provide transaction and transfer-event evidence. Payment sessions also require application records of usage and cumulative vouchers because each service unit is not a separate onchain transfer. Reconcile the service delivered, authorized amount, and funds settled; keep retries from creating duplicate usage or charges.

### New business models

Small payments can support pay-as-you-go APIs, per-article access, and data feeds priced per unit. Test the collection costs and customer experience before deciding whether to use individual charges, sessions, or recurring billing.

### Developer-friendly primitives

Tempo provides native primitives for metered billing (access keys with spending limits), streaming payments ([MPP Sessions](/blog/mpp-sessions)), and programmable payment logic (smart contracts). Developers integrate billing directly into their application logic rather than bolting on a separate payment provider.

## Why Tempo for microtransactions

Tempo is designed for the high-volume, low-value payment patterns that microtransactions require:

- **Sub-cent fees in stablecoins.** Transaction fees are fractions of a penny, paid in stablecoins. No volatile gas tokens required. [Learn more](/blog/stablecoin-fees).
- **Near-instant onchain settlement.** Confirmed transfers provide evidence for direct payment flows. For sessions, voucher verification and settlement are distinct steps.
- **Programmable access keys.** [Access keys](/blog/subscriptions-on-tempo) with periodic spending limits enable metered and subscription billing onchain without re-prompting users.
- **MPP Sessions for streaming payments.** [Funded channels and signed vouchers](/developers/docs/guide/machine-payments/streamed-payments) let services account for usage between onchain settlements.
- **Fee sponsorship.** An application can [pay network fees](/learn/fee-sponsorship/) for its customers while keeping the service charge separate.

For developers, these tools provide settlement and authorization primitives. The application remains responsible for pricing, metering, access control, and reconciliation.

## Next steps

- Read about [MPP Sessions](/blog/mpp-sessions) for machine-to-machine payments
- Learn how [subscriptions on Tempo](/blog/subscriptions-on-tempo) work with access keys
- Explore [stablecoin payments](/learn/stablecoin-payments) end-to-end
- Compare [payment rails](/learn/payment-rails) side by side
- [Contact our team](/contact) to discuss your microtransaction use case

---

## Frequently asked questions

**How small can a payment be on Tempo?**

Tempo supports sub-cent network fees, but the viable payment size depends on token precision, current fees, funding costs, and the service being purchased. Payment sessions can aggregate small usage charges between onchain settlements; they do not make collection costless.

**Do users need a crypto wallet?**

A stablecoin payment needs an account and a way to authorize spending. A wallet provider can embed this experience in the product. The application still needs to define key management, funding, and recovery.

**How does metered billing work on Tempo?**

The application measures usage and decides which units are billable. Access keys can limit authorized spending by asset, amount, expiry, and permitted calls. Payment sessions use signed vouchers to account for cumulative usage against funded channels.

**Can this support subscription models?**

Yes. Access keys support periodic spending limits. Your application schedules charges, checks funding and authorization, and reconciles each billing period. A periodic limit does not add funds or extend the key's expiry.

**Is this suitable for consumer-facing products?**

Embedded wallets and fee sponsorship can simplify the payment experience. The product must still provide clear prices, purchase entitlements, recovery, and refund policies. Funding and conversion depend on the providers used.

**How do MPP Sessions work for machine payments?**

A payer funds a channel and signs cumulative offchain vouchers as it consumes a service. The recipient can settle vouchers onchain. Channels may need top-ups and periodic settlement, and closing releases remaining funds according to the channel rules. There is no fixed two-transaction limit for every session.

---

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