Block Integrates Bitcoin Lightning Network Into x402 Protocol for AI Agent Payments

Block has joined the Linux Foundation-hosted x402 Foundation and integrated the Bitcoin Lightning Network into the x402 open payment protocol to enable autonomous micropayments for AI agents. The standard, which utilizes HTTP 402 status codes, allows software agents to independently purchase API access and datasets. Over a recent 30-day window, x402 recorded 75.41 million transactions totaling $24.24 million across 94,060 buyers, averaging 32 cents per transaction. Although USDC previously captured 99.3% of volume, Lightning rails now provide sub-second settlements down to one satoshi, joining backing from Google, Microsoft, AWS, and Coinbase.