💙💛Tintin deeply analyzes the x402 protocol for you💛💙 Part 1.
Hey guys, you should be seeing the x402 everywhere by now.
x402 is an AI proxy payment standard based on the HTTP 402 status code, jointly launched by Coinbase and Cloudflare, supporting instant transfers in USDC, backed by Visa and Google.
It went live in May 2025, and on October 24th, it gained immense popularity due to a 25% increase in Base chain TVL and a 456% surge in the $PING meme coin. Even @Binance Wallet listed x402 in their wallet yesterday.
However, let’s not worry about meme coins and incomprehensible terms!
Tintin will explain the x402 protocol from basic to advanced.
After all, who knows, it might even help your AI set up a date with Tintin.
1. What exactly is it? In simple terms
x402 is essentially a “Alipay” system designed for the AI era.
Imagine this: you have your AI assistant help you book a restaurant for a date with Tintin. After the AI finds a restaurant, a payment QR code pops up on the website, but it can’t pay because it doesn’t have an Alipay or credit card account; it still needs to go through you—this is what x402 aims to solve, enabling AI to conduct autonomous payment transactions.
It utilizes the 402 Payment Required status code in the HTTP protocol, allowing AI to pay directly with USDC via QR code.
The core of x402 has three points:
AI's electronic wallet: enabling AI to have autonomous payment capabilities
Seamless payment: no registration, no password, pay with a click
Micro-payment revolution: extremely low fees, suitable for transactions of just a few cents
This solves the last mile of the AI economy—allowing virtual AIs to spend money in the real world.
2. Why has it suddenly become popular now?
Although it was released in May, the real explosion concentrated in the 48 hours of October 23-24:
October 23: Top venture capital firm a16z released a report positioning x402 as the payment cornerstone for the future $30 trillion AI economy.
October 24 morning: Coinbase launched Payments MCP, enabling AI like Claude and GPT to truly use x402 for on-chain payments.
October 24 afternoon: Market enthusiasm surged, Binance wallet @Binance Wallet launched an x402 section, providing access to billions of users.
It’s like: big players call the shots → actual implementation → market enthusiasm surges; it’s hard not to get popular.
That's it for today!
Next, I will share with you how the big shots view x402? What are the risks and opportunities?
Don’t forget to follow @Tintinx2021 .
Hey guys, you should be seeing the x402 everywhere by now.
x402 is an AI proxy payment standard based on the HTTP 402 status code, jointly launched by Coinbase and Cloudflare, supporting instant transfers in USDC, backed by Visa and Google.
It went live in May 2025, and on October 24th, it gained immense popularity due to a 25% increase in Base chain TVL and a 456% surge in the $PING meme coin. Even @Binance Wallet listed x402 in their wallet yesterday.
However, let’s not worry about meme coins and incomprehensible terms!
Tintin will explain the x402 protocol from basic to advanced.
After all, who knows, it might even help your AI set up a date with Tintin.
1. What exactly is it? In simple terms
x402 is essentially a “Alipay” system designed for the AI era.
Imagine this: you have your AI assistant help you book a restaurant for a date with Tintin. After the AI finds a restaurant, a payment QR code pops up on the website, but it can’t pay because it doesn’t have an Alipay or credit card account; it still needs to go through you—this is what x402 aims to solve, enabling AI to conduct autonomous payment transactions.
It utilizes the 402 Payment Required status code in the HTTP protocol, allowing AI to pay directly with USDC via QR code.
The core of x402 has three points:
AI's electronic wallet: enabling AI to have autonomous payment capabilities
Seamless payment: no registration, no password, pay with a click
Micro-payment revolution: extremely low fees, suitable for transactions of just a few cents
This solves the last mile of the AI economy—allowing virtual AIs to spend money in the real world.
2. Why has it suddenly become popular now?
Although it was released in May, the real explosion concentrated in the 48 hours of October 23-24:
October 23: Top venture capital firm a16z released a report positioning x402 as the payment cornerstone for the future $30 trillion AI economy.
October 24 morning: Coinbase launched Payments MCP, enabling AI like Claude and GPT to truly use x402 for on-chain payments.
October 24 afternoon: Market enthusiasm surged, Binance wallet @Binance Wallet launched an x402 section, providing access to billions of users.
It’s like: big players call the shots → actual implementation → market enthusiasm surges; it’s hard not to get popular.
That's it for today!
Next, I will share with you how the big shots view x402? What are the risks and opportunities?
Don’t forget to follow @Tintinx2021 .