Coinbase’s Base network is intensifying its push into autonomous software payments by launching a more selective startup accelerator and reporting sharp growth in machine-initiated transfers. The developments arrive as AI agents begin using stablecoins for frequent, small-value transactions that traditional payment systems struggle to handle.

x402 Protocol Sees Rapid Growth in Agent Activity

Over the past 30 days, AI agents initiated approximately 14 million transfers through Coinbase’s x402 payment protocol. Base processed 7.3 million of those transfers, while Polygon handled 5.6 million. Virtually all of the activity settled in USDC.

x402 is an open standard developed by Coinbase that leverages the HTTP 402 “Payment Required” response code. It allows software to request and complete payments automatically without human intervention. Coinbase has expanded the protocol’s facilitator across Base, Solana, and Polygon, with USDC serving as the primary settlement asset.

The volume does not indicate 14 million distinct agents. A single agent can generate many transfers. Still, the frequency signals that autonomous software is already creating meaningful demand for stablecoins beyond human trading, remittances, or corporate settlement.

In July, Coinbase enabled businesses to accept USDC payments directly from AI agents through Coinbase Business accounts. The company has described agentic payments as one of its high-conviction priorities, allowing merchants to receive, reconcile, and cash out these transactions within the same infrastructure used for other services.

Base Narrows Accelerator to Focus on AI Agents and Finance

On Wednesday, the Base team announced that its next accelerator cohort, Batches 004, will select only 10 startups. Each chosen team will receive a $100,000 investment from the Base Ecosystem Fund. Applications remain open through September 9. The eight-week virtual program ends with a Demo Day in New York in November.

The program targets pre-seed companies building products in trading, payments, financing, and AI agents. Priority areas include tools that use stablecoins for agent-driven shopping, trading, and payments, as well as infrastructure for lending, e-commerce, and decentralized AI. Teams may support multiple chains, but Base must serve as the primary network.

Selected startups will work with a dedicated advisor, receive weekly support, gain visibility across the Base ecosystem, and present to investors at the Demo Day. The network is also seeking founders with fintech experience who can introduce new financial products.

The accelerator follows earlier Coinbase releases, including Agentic Wallets on Base that let AI agents hold USDC and transact via x402, and Coinbase for Agents, which connects agents directly to user accounts.

Enterprise Platforms Integrate Agent Payments

The rising activity on x402 coincides with broader adoption by major cloud providers. Amazon Web Services earlier introduced Amazon Bedrock AgentCore Payments in partnership with Coinbase and Stripe. The feature lets AI agents built on Bedrock execute micropayments for APIs, web content, MCP servers, and other agents using USDC.

Agents can connect a Coinbase or Stripe-powered wallet, operate under session-level spending limits, and settle transactions on Base in roughly 200 milliseconds at fractions of a cent. Coinbase’s x402 protocol powers the flows, and developers can access x402-enabled services through integrated gateways. The capability has moved from preview to general availability, adding enterprise controls, compliance checks, and observability.

AWS and Coinbase are among the founding members of the x402 Foundation, working to establish open standards for machine-to-machine commerce. Similar efforts appear across other platforms, positioning stablecoins as a settlement layer for continuous, global, software-driven transactions that do not require a traditional checkout process.

Together, the accelerator, the jump in x402 volume, and enterprise integrations show Base and Coinbase positioning the network as core infrastructure for an emerging category of autonomous economic activity.