X402 Protocol

Apollo Chief Economist Torsten Slok warned that agentic AI tools may automatically move household cash out of low-yield checking accounts and into higher-yield alternatives. The shift could pressure banks that depend on inexpensive deposits, while crypto payment infrastructure is already emerging as a potential rail for machine-driven finance.

The x402 Foundation has launched as a neutral open-source venue for companies including Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, Google, Coinbase-linked participants and blockchain groups to shape a standard for AI-driven payments. The protocol aims to let AI agents, machines and users transact over HTTP without relying on subscriptions, advertising models or manual card entry.