The x402 Foundation, a Linux-affiliated organization, is developing an open standard for AI-driven commerce, allowing AI programs to pay each other. Denelle Dixon, CEO of Stellar Development Foundation, noted that lessons from the early days of building the web are being applied to establish this standard. The x402 protocol, initially developed by Coinbase, aims to enable payments between AI agents, machines, and users through the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) without requiring subscriptions or manual credit card entry.
Key Stakeholders
Other premier members of the x402 Foundation include Ripple, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Stripe, and Google, among others. Bringing x402 under the Linux Foundation’s auspices is seen as the right “open-source playground” for a collaborative open standard to be built, according to Alin Dragos, senior manager at AWS Payments.
Goals and Implications
The plan is to complement the original design of HTTP, allowing web browsers and servers to communicate and exchange value. AI agents, which will likely account for a large portion of internet commerce, could reshape the web, and the x402 protocol may enable a truly open public global financial system.
Current Status
The search for an x402 Foundation executive director is underway, and a technical steering committee has been established. The group has increased its membership, indicating a positive start for the three-month-old foundation.
Based on reporting from crypto.news.
