Coinbase-incubated open-source payment protocol x402 has rolled out its V2 upgrade, evolving from a simple single-call system into a unified, multi-chain payment layer for the internet. The protocol, designed for AI agents and applications, aims to make value transfer as seamless as information flow.
The upgrade, announced in a blog post by Coinbase Developer Platform engineers, is based on learnings from six months of real-world operation. Since its launch in May 2025, x402 has reportedly processed over 100 million payments across various APIs, apps, and AI agents.
The core of V2 is a standardized payment interface that creates a single payment format working across different blockchains and with traditional payment rails. The protocol is now "multi-chain by default," natively supporting tokens on networks like Base and Solana without requiring custom logic. It also maintains compatibility with legacy systems like ACH and card networks.
Other key enhancements include dynamic 'payTo' routing to support complex payment flows like subscriptions, usage-based billing, and multi-step transactions. The architecture is now modular and plug-in-driven, allowing developers to extend functionality easily. The update also refactors wallet and identity management, introducing reusable wallet sessions to reduce latency for returning users or AI agents.
In September 2025, Cloudflare and Coinbase co-launched the x402 Foundation to promote the protocol's adoption. Coinbase has also recently unveiled Payments MCP, a protocol to enable large language models like Claude and Gemini to access blockchain wallets, further cementing its push into AI-driven payments.
PYUSD
WLD
XRP