Visa, Mastercard, Ripple Launch x402 Foundation With 40+ Members to Standardize AI Agent Payments

According to the Linux Foundation, more than 40 global payment companies, blockchain firms, and technology providers have launched the x402 Foundation, an open governance body under the Linux Foundation's umbrella, to establish a universal payment standard for AI agents and internet applications.

Key members include Visa, Mastercard, Ripple, Coinbase, Google, Amazon Web Services, Stripe, Circle, Shopify, American Express, Adyen, Cloudflare, and Fiserv. The x402 protocol leverages the HTTP 402 "Payment Required" status code to enable AI agents, APIs, and applications to send and receive payments directly via HTTP using methods ranging from credit cards to stablecoins, without relying on traditional account-based payment systems.

Ripple joined as a Premier Member, supporting XRP and RLUSD for AI payments. The foundation positions stablecoins as infrastructure not just for individuals but for machines, enabling software agents to purchase computational resources and digital services on a pay-per-use basis through programmable payments embedded in HTTP requests.