Cardano co-founder Charles Hoskinson called the launch of x402 “a very important event for the network.” According to him, this is one of the most promising technological updates in recent years.
The comment came amid the announcement of the first meme coin issued in the x402 format on the Masumi network. This proved that the new payment standard can radically change the approach to blockchain automation and AI transactions.
The x402 format is based on the HTTP 402 status code — “payment required.” It allows paying for access to resources directly via API without registration, OAuth or complex authorization.
Initially, x402 was developed by the Coinbase team, and later it was integrated into the Google (AP2) payment protocol to simplify verifiable settlements between AI agents and online services, effectively automating on-chain transactions in real time.
For Cardano this opens the way to turning the blockchain into a financial foundation for the AI economy, where scalable micropayments are possible without trust and intermediaries.
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In the demo version, the user is shown step by step how the payment system works. When visiting the page, a trigger appears with the message “402: payment required.” After that, you can connect a wallet, create a transaction, and as soon as it is confirmed on the blockchain, gain access to previously closed features, such as meme coin listing.
Although the demonstration is not related to the actual token launch, it shows how in the future dApp applications will be able to use x402 for automated payment scenarios.
According to developer Patrick Tobler, the team is already working on formalizing the x402 standard for the Cardano and Masumi networks. Direct integration with smart contracts in Masumi is planned.
The new approach moves away from traditional transfers between addresses and offers a more flexible and powerful payment architecture.
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Analysts call the emergence of x402 a serious catalyst for the Cardano ecosystem. According to reports, in the first week the protocol processed almost 500,000 transactions and has already begun to be adopted by giants such as Google, AWS and Visa.
Amid technological progress, experts are also optimistic about the prospects for ADA. If the current momentum continues, growth to $1.20 is expected by early 2026.
