Block Bolsters x402 with Bitcoin Lightning Support
Block, the company behind the popular Cash App and Square payment systems, has joined forces with other industry giants to promote an open payment standard for AI agents. The x402 Foundation, launched under the Linux Foundation in April, enables AI agents to autonomously pay for API access, data, and digital services.
Block's support for x402 comes with the addition of Bitcoin Lightning payments to the protocol, making it suitable for low-cost, high-volume transactions that will be necessary for agentic commerce. This move is part of Block's efforts to expand its presence in payments for AI agents.
According to Steve Lee, head of Block's Bitcoin development initiative Spiral, 'Bringing Lightning to x402 is a concrete step toward making Bitcoin everyday money for people and the agents acting on their behalf.'