TLDR
- Ripple joined the x402 Foundation as a Premier Member under Linux Foundation governance for payments.
- The x402 protocol embeds payments into HTTP interactions for AI agents, APIs, and applications online.
- Coinbase contributed x402 to the Linux Foundation, placing development under open, vendor-neutral governance this year.
- Ripple said x402 support enables agent transactions using XRP and RLUSD on XRP Ledger today.
- Premier members include Visa, Mastercard, Google, AWS, Circle, Coinbase, Stripe, Shopify, and Solana Foundation today.
Ripple said it is proud to join the x402 Foundation as a Premier Member after the Linux Foundation announced the operational launch of the new open-governance body. The foundation was formed to steward x402, an open protocol designed to support internet-native payments over HTTP for AI agents, APIs, and applications.
The x402 protocol, contributed by Coinbase, embeds payment capabilities directly into web interactions, allowing automated systems to transact while exchanging data. The Linux Foundation said 40 organizations have joined the initiative, including payment networks, cloud providers, blockchain foundations, fintech firms, and infrastructure companies.
Ripple Joins x402 as Premier Member
Ripple’s participation places the company among the Premier Members helping guide the technical and governance direction of the x402 Foundation. The company said it plans to contribute to the development of open standards for the next generation of internet-native payments.
Ripple said AI agents will need payment systems that match the speed and reliability of the data systems they already use. The company linked that need to its existing work on the XRP Ledger, where it has developed tools for agentic payments.
The company said its support for x402 already enables agents to transact using XRP and RLUSD. That statement connects Ripple’s stablecoin and blockchain infrastructure with the broader effort to standardize payments for automated web activity.
Linux Foundation Formalizes Open Governance
The Linux Foundation said the x402 Foundation will operate under formal open governance, allowing developers, financial institutions, cloud providers, and other participants to shape the protocol. The structure is intended to keep the standard vendor-neutral and interoperable across payment providers.
The protocol supports payment types ranging from traditional cards to stablecoins. Its design embeds payments into the request-and-response cycle of web interactions, rather than requiring separate payment processes outside the application flow.
Coinbase originally developed x402 to address the lack of a native payment method for AI agents and automated systems. Its contribution to the Linux Foundation moves stewardship into a broader industry setting with shared governance.
Payments Firms Back AI Agent Standard
Premier Members include Adyen, AWS, American Express, Circle, Cloudflare, Coinbase, Fiserv, Google, Mastercard, Monad Foundation, MoonPay, Ripple, Shopify, Solana Foundation, Stellar Development Foundation, Stripe, and Visa. General and Associate Members include blockchain, payments, infrastructure, and digital commerce organizations.
The foundation’s launch comes as AI agents are increasingly used to call APIs, purchase services, manage tasks, and support commercial workflows. Supporters of x402 say automated systems need a secure payment layer that can work across platforms and payment types.
The x402 Foundation is focused on creating an open standard rather than a single company-controlled payment network. Ripple’s Premier Member role gives it a formal seat in that process as the industry works on payment infrastructure for AI agents and internet-native applications.
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