Coinbase has launched AI agents that can execute crypto trades and pay for premium research, integrating with user accounts or operating in a sandbox. The agents leverage the x402 payment protocol for seamless access to services.
x402 transaction volume dropped 77% from its peak, but transaction counts rebounded with high-frequency, low-value usage. Authorization frameworks like AP2, Verifiable Intent, and MPP emerge to address approval friction in agentic payments.
Coinbase-backed x402 adds batch settlement, reducing costs for high-frequency AI agent payments by enabling bulk settlements of small transactions, supporting ERC-20 tokens for on-demand resources.
Coinbase-backed x402 protocol has launched Agentic.market, a marketplace enabling AI agents to discover and use thousands of services without API keys. The platform supports apps like CoinGecko, Google Flights and X, with AI agents having transacted hundreds of millions in volume. Major tech and payment companies including Google, Microsoft, AWS, Visa, Mastercard and Stripe have backed the x402 Foundation.
