Coinbase's x402 uses HTTP 402 for AI web payments
BROBROK News · Based on reporting by Decrypt ·
Coinbase's x402 is an open payment standard that revives HTTP 402 so apps and AI agents can pay for online services inside a web request. The protocol mainly uses USDC on Base, with support for other chains and even traditional card payments.
Key points
- It repurposes the long-unused HTTP 402 status code for web payments.
- AI agents and apps can pay for APIs, data and services without accounts or API keys.
- USDC is the main payment asset, with settlement centered on Base.
- The protocol is now governed by the x402 Foundation under the Linux Foundation.
- More than 50 companies, including Visa, Mastercard and Google, have joined the foundation.
Why it matters
x402 is an attempt to give the internet a native payment layer for machine-to-machine transactions. For crypto markets, it points to a possible new use case for stablecoins and onchain settlement.
Original headline: “What Is x402? How AI Agents Pay With Crypto”
Summary and analysis written by BROBROK News from the original report. Read the full story on the source website. Not investment advice.