Block joins the x402 Foundation and contributes Bitcoin Lightning Network infrastructure for agentic payments.
AI & Agents ·
Block has joined the x402 Foundation and committed Bitcoin Lightning Network infrastructure to support payments for AI agents, according to an announcement shared on X. The move aligns Block with efforts to expand Lightning as a native settlement layer for machine-to-machine transactions, building on recent evolution of the network beyond peer-to-peer use cases.
Lightning Network infrastructure has been shifting toward B2B settlement applications, with average transaction sizes growing significantly as stablecoin protocols like RGB enable institutional-grade payments alongside volatile BTC. Block's contribution to x402 positions the company's technical capabilities within this emerging infrastructure stack, where Lightning channels can route agentic payments without requiring traditional banking intermediaries.
Details on the scope of Block's specific technical contributions, the x402 Foundation's governance structure, and whether this partnership includes product integration timelines remain unclear. The announcement does not specify whether this affects Block's existing Square or Cash App payment products or operates as a separate infrastructure initiative.