Circle has integrated its Developer-Controlled Wallets with the x402 protocol, allowing AI agents to autonomously pay for API access using USDC.
By Zoran Spirkovski
Editor Kirsten Thijssen
Updated
2 mins read
Circle Internet Financial has unveiled a new integration that allows artificial intelligence agents to pay for online services autonomously. The development, announced on Sept. 12, combines the firm’s wallet infrastructure with a new payment protocol to facilitate automated transactions using USD Coin USDC $1.00 24h volatility: 0.0% Market cap: $73.17 B Vol. 24h: $10.04 B .
According to the company blog post, the system is built on Coinbase’s x402 protocol, an open standard that reactivates the long-dormant HTTP 402 “Payment Required” status code. This technology enables web services to request an on-chain payment before fulfilling a data request, opening up new possibilities for API monetization.
The new model allows an AI agent to complete a transaction without any human intervention. For example, an agent needing a wallet risk report from a paywalled API can automatically pay the small fee in USDC to receive the data, streamlining the entire process into one programmatic flow.
This integration paves the way for new pay-per-use business models for developers and online platforms. Instead of relying on traditional subscriptions, services can now charge small amounts for individual API calls, making microtransactions a more viable option for monetizing digital resources.
The system utilizes Circle’s Developer-Controlled Wallets, which are managed through an API and secured with multi-party computation (MPC) technology to protect private keys. This allows the AI agent to manage funds and authorize payments without directly handling sensitive credentials.
To demonstrate the functionality, Circle developed a sample application using the Langchain framework and OpenAI’s GPT-4o mini model. In the demonstration, the agent successfully created a wallet, funded it using the testnet faucet, and paid for a risk profile report from a third-party service.
The fusion of AI agents with autonomous payment capabilities marks a significant step toward a more sophisticated machine-to-machine economy. This allows software to not only process information but also to participate in economic transactions, reflecting the company’s broader push to expand USDC adoption.
Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
As a Web3 marketing strategist and former CMO of DuckDAO, Zoran Spirkovski translates complex crypto concepts into compelling narratives that drive growth. With a background in crypto journalism, he excels in developing go-to-market strategies for DeFi, L2, and GameFi projects.
