Fintech giant Stripe has launched a preview of its new x402 payment protocol, integrating the Base blockchain to enable artificial intelligence agents to autonomously pay for digital services using cryptocurrency. The system is specifically designed for machine-to-machine transactions, allowing AI agents to make fast, low-cost micropayments using the USD Coin (USDC) stablecoin on the Ethereum Layer 2 network.
The announcement was made by Stripe product manager Jeff Weinstein on February 10, 2026. The protocol revives the old HTTP "402 Payment Required" status code, creating a standardized method for AI agents to access paid services. When an agent attempts to use a service, it receives a payment request. After sending USDC to a unique, transaction-specific wallet address on Base, access is automatically granted.
The integration is built to address the shortcomings of human-centric payment systems for automated software. "AI agents need payment systems that are fast, reliable, and available at all times," Weinstein stated, highlighting the need for rails that work without human supervision. Base's infrastructure, offering fast settlement and low fees, allows transactions to be completed in seconds, making it suitable for frequent, low-value payments like per-API-call or per-minute compute usage.
For businesses, the process involves creating a standard Stripe Payment Intent. Stripe then generates a unique wallet address for each transaction. Payments can be monitored in real-time via the Stripe dashboard, webhooks, or API. Once confirmed, funds are deposited into the merchant's Stripe balance, with Stripe's existing infrastructure handling tax reporting, refunds, and compliance.
To support developer adoption, Stripe has released an open-source command-line tool called "purl" along with sample code in Python and Node.js. The company indicates this launch reflects its focus on the growing "agent economy," where autonomous software manages its own finances to purchase data, computing, and digital services. While initial support is focused on USDC on Base, Stripe plans to add more protocols, currencies, and blockchain networks in the future.
