Stripe adds x402 support for autonomous-agent USDC payments

Stripe has released a preview of its new “machine payments” system, integrating the x402 protocol to support on-chain USDC payments for autonomous agents on Base. The protocol, developed by Coinbase, activates the previously unused HTTP 402 “Payment Required” code and turns it into a standard for embedded crypto payments inside ordinary web requests. Developers can now programmatically charge AI agents, which then pay for API calls, Model Context Protocol interactions, and HTTP requests on their own.

Stripe product lead Jeff Weinstein said x402 integration is the first step toward supporting more protocols, currencies, and blockchains. The system runs through the PaymentIntents API: a developer creates a payment intent, Stripe generates a deposit address, the agent sends USDC, and the operation’s status is tracked via API or webhooks. Taxes, refunds, and reporting are handled through Stripe’s existing tools, keeping crypto involvement optional.

Alongside the launch, Stripe released the open-source CLI tool **purl** and sample implementations for Node and Python, allowing developers to test machine payments locally. The company frames x402 as a way to eliminate limitations of legacy payment rails – which were built for humans, not autonomous software. Micropayments, 24/7 settlement, and guaranteed finality all require on-chain infrastructure.

Interest in the technology surged after CoinGecko simultaneously activated x402 for its API. Agents can now access pricing and on-chain data for a fixed cost of $0.01 USDC per request, without registration or an API key. The system supports dozens of on-chain routes and price endpoints covering more than 18,000 crypto assets across 250+ networks.

CoinGecko’s payment flow uses the full x402 sequence: an agent sends a request, receives a 402 response with payment details, authorizes the USDC payment, retries the request, and then receives the data. This allows automation systems to build arbitrage bots, risk-monitoring tools, and advanced autonomous financial mechanisms without human involvement.

The debut of machine payments comes amid reports that Stripe is preparing a tender offer that could raise its valuation to $140 billion – a 31% increase from last year. For the market, the move signals that the payments giant is making a serious commitment to on-chain infrastructure and an emerging automated economy where transactions are executed not by users, but by AI agents and digital services.