x402: From Paper to Reality

When AI Agents, API services, and automation tools start charging per use, the x402 protocol is no longer just a technical standard in documentation but a real value exchange channel.

But here’s a key question—
Who will actually pay for each call?

The technical details of the protocol are already in place. The challenge lies in the market: which service providers will adopt this payment method first? How strong is users’ willingness to pay? Can the incentive mechanisms of the entire ecosystem support this path?

From theoretical perfection to market validation, there is a gap of reality in between. Whether x402 can truly change the settlement logic of the API economy ultimately depends on the actual actions of adopters.