Coinbase x402 Protocol Joins Linux Foundation with Support from Google, Stripe, and AWS

Coinbase transferred its x402 agentic AI payments protocol to neutral governance under the Linux Foundation on April 2, 2026, establishing the x402 Foundation with backing from major technology and payment companies including Google, Stripe, Visa, Mastercard, AWS, and Cloudflare. The protocol, launched in 2025 by Coinbase's developer platform, revives the HTTP 402 Payment Required status code to enable websites and APIs to request payments directly during normal web interactions. Developers are experimenting with x402 as AI agents increasingly perform autonomous tasks online, with Sam Altman's World integrating it into agent identity tools and MoonPay adding support through its Open Wallet Standard. Solana has driven nearly 65% of x402 transaction volume in 2025, while the protocol's move to vendor-neutral governance aims to encourage broader adoption across the industry for AI-driven commerce infrastructure.

Formation and governance of the x402 Foundation under Linux Foundation

• ▪Both Coinbase and Base are part of the initial set of industry participants supporting the x402 Foundation's migration to an open-source model.
• ▪Coinbase contributed the x402 protocol technology to the Linux Foundation to place it under neutral governance.
• ▪Coinbase is joining with the Linux Foundation to launch the x402 Foundation.
• ▪The x402 Foundation was created to oversee the development of a new internet payments standard.
• ▪Under Linux Foundation governance, the x402 protocol will remain vendor-neutral.
• ▪The x402 Foundation will operate under Linux Foundation governance to support community-driven development of the standard.
• ▪Organizations that contribute to or use the x402 technology can join the x402 Foundation and help guide its development.

Technical capabilities and use cases of the x402 protocol

• ▪The x402 protocol allows websites and APIs to request payment directly during normal HTTP interactions before granting access to content or services.
• ▪The x402 protocol lets websites request and receive payments as part of normal web traffic.
• ▪MoonPay's Open Wallet Standard is adding support for the x402 protocol.
• ▪Solana has driven nearly 65% of x402 transaction volume in 2025.
• ▪The x402 protocol was launched in 2025 by Coinbase's developer platform.
• ▪Sam Altman's World is integrating x402 into tools that let agents prove they represent real people.
• ▪Developers have begun experimenting with the x402 protocol as AI agents increasingly perform tasks for users online.
• ▪The x402 protocol revived the long-unused HTTP 402 Payment Required status code to create a native payment layer for the web.

Industry participation and support from major technology companies

• ▪The Solana Foundation is participating in the launch of the x402 Foundation.

Perspective of Solana ecosystem

• ▪The Solana Foundation views its network's 65% share of x402 transaction volume as demonstrating Solana's suitability for high-frequency payment applications.

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