Block Integrates Bitcoin Lightning Network into x402 AI Payment Standard

Block has joined the x402 Foundation, an organization developing a payment standard for AI agents, and integrated the Bitcoin Lightning Network into the protocol. The x402 standard, which revives the HTTP 402 'Payment Required' status code, allows AI agents to autonomously pay for web resources, API calls, and datasets without requiring traditional accounts or API keys. Previously reliant on stablecoins, the protocol now supports instant micropayments via Bitcoin. Block joins existing members including Google, Microsoft, AWS, Coinbase, and the Solana Foundation. While the protocol has recorded 75 million transactions over the past 30 days, specific volume data for Bitcoin Lightning transactions has not been disclosed.