Artificial intelligence (AI) agents are rapidly expanding their use of cryptocurrencies to purchase data and computing resources. According to a report published by blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis on October 14, more than 138 million transactions were confirmed on the Base blockchain through “x402,” a payment protocol developed by US-based Coinbase, as of July 2026.

x402 is a mechanism that enables software such as AI agents to automatically pay for digital services—including data, computing resources, and access to AI models—using cryptocurrencies. Payment giants Visa, Mastercard, and Stripe support the protocol, and Coinbase enables its institutional clients to accept payments from AI agents.

According to Chainalysis’s…