Block Joins Forces with x402 Foundation for Bitcoin Lightning Payments
Block has partnered with the x402 Foundation to add Bitcoin Lightning support to its payment protocol. This addition will enable AI agents and web services to make instant, low-cost, high-volume payments using Bitcoin. The partnership was announced on September 24 by Block's Twitter handle.
The x402 protocol uses HTTP 402 responses to request payment from servers when an AI agent tries to access an API or digital service. With the addition of Lightning support, this process will be faster and more efficient for both agents and services.
According to the x402 Foundation's website, the protocol has processed 75.41 million transactions and $24.24 million in volume over the past 30 days. The majority of these transactions used stablecoins rather than Bitcoin, but with Lightning support, developers can now settle payments directly in Bitcoin instead of a dollar-linked token.
Block's contribution to x402 marks its latest effort in expanding the use cases for Bitcoin and developing the infrastructure needed for everyday adoption. Steve Lee, who leads Block's Bitcoin development initiative called Spiral, stated that Lightning is a step towards making Bitcoin usable as everyday money for both people and AI agents acting on their behalf.