Coinbase’s x402 Protocol Sees 10,000% Surge in AI Payments

[chainsniff]

Coinbase’s x402 online payments protocol, launched in May, has exploded in activity — up 10,780% over the past month.
The system revives the forgotten HTTP 402 “Payment Required” code, letting AI agents and humans pay with stablecoins directly through websites or apps — no credit cards needed.
Between Oct. 14–20, nearly 500,000 transactions were recorded, with Friday alone setting a new record of 239,505 payments, according to Dune Analytics.