Block Joins x402 Foundation to Integrate Bitcoin Lightning for AI Payments

Payment firm Block has joined the x402 Foundation, a Linux Foundation-backed initiative, to integrate Bitcoin Lightning Network support into the x402 open payment standard for AI agents. The move aims to facilitate autonomous payments for AI services, joining other members like Google, Microsoft, AWS, and Coinbase. Block intends to leverage Lightning's low-cost, high-frequency capabilities to enable AI agents to handle commerce, building upon its existing Universal Commerce Protocol efforts.