Block brings Bitcoin Lightning payments to x402 for AI agents
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Block joined the x402 Foundation and added Bitcoin Lightning support to x402, an open payment standard for AI-agent commerce. The Lightning specification was merged into the x402 repository on Sept. 23, and Block announced its contribution on Sept. 24. The update extends x402 beyond stablecoin-only payments and places Bitcoin Lightning alongside the standard’s existing backers.
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What it means
Users and builders around AI-agent payments see x402 gain a Bitcoin Lightning option alongside the standard’s earlier stablecoin-oriented setup. That matters for anyone trying to use the standard tomorrow morning, because the payment rail now includes an additional Bitcoin-based path inside the same framework.
In practice, x402 now includes a Lightning specification that was merged into its repository on Sept. 23, and Block’s announcement on Sept. 24 put that change into view. What remains the same is that x402 is still an open payment standard for AI agents, with Block joining other named backers rather than replacing them.
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Has this happened before?
| When | What happened | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| 45 days ago | Coinbase adds fixed-rate bitcoin-backed loans through Morpho Midnight event | 1 actors in common · 4 news media |