Coinbase developers have introduced a new payment Ethereum protocol for AI agents.

Coinbase developers Kevin Lefevre and Lincoln Moore stated that in the future autonomous AI agents could become the largest users of the Ethereum network. According to them, the use of the forgotten web standard HTTP 402 combined with Ethereum Improvement Proposal 3009 (EIP-3009) will allow such programs to independently make payments in stablecoins.

Coinbase has implemented support for the standard through its own x402 protocol, which effectively turns API services into wallets accessible directly by AI. This solution eliminates the need for key management and manual transaction confirmations.

Thus, the developers, according to them, have created a foundation for full-fledged economic activity without human involvement. This is expected to significantly enhance the efficiency of AI solutions, the programmers noted.

Leffyu and Murr compared the work of new agents to vending machines. After receiving an HTTP 402 request, the program signs the transaction and pays for the service in one cycle. This could be applicable for autonomous taxis, AI models that create content on demand, and applications that autonomously pay for data storage.

Ethereum, according to the authors, is better suited for this model than other blockchains due to atomic payments, programmable policies, and composable wallets. This system simplifies invoicing and reduces the risks of payment disputes compared to traditional processes.

According to the developers, AI agents are already being tested using HTTP 402. They cited examples such as Hyperbolic Labs, where this approach is integrated into a larger language model, and Prodia Labs, which creates images and videos based on AI.

Let’s remind that we wrote that Standard Chartered predicted the price of Ethereum to rise to $7500 by the end of the year.