Why AI agents aren’t transacting crypto with x402

AI agents have made more forays into crypto in recent days. The Moltbook and OpenClaw agent swarms are the latest to join and even try to trade tokens. 

Apparently, AI agents are not bringing any new usage to x402 tokens, the special protocol that would enable bots to transfer value in a secure way that allows for automation. Activity on x402 tokens declined after some of the early incentives were removed. 

X402 tokens emerged at the end of 2025, initially rising with promising activity. Volumes have now dwindled, despite the presence of AI agents who could use the payment gateway. | Source: Artemis.

In the past weeks, agents have been given their own wallets, testing their abilities to trade and distribute funds. In theory, agents can pay for their resources or receive payments using the x402 standard. 

In late 2025, spending through the x402 network was promising. Most of the transfers used USDC as the most transparent and regulated token. Soon, calls were made for monetized AI agents to be allowed to transact among each other. 

Why are AI agents not using the x402 standard?

The x402 protocol was built based on the HTTP status code 402, ‘Payment Required’, which was never implemented as part of the regular Web2 toolset. The initial goal was for resources to require payments before access, but there was not sufficient external payment infrastructure. 

In 2025, it turned out that stablecoins were the ideal medium to settle payments. AI agents were one of the solutions for microtransactions, as they could automate and scale the process. Additionally, autonomous agents had the real need to pay for resources – APIs, data feeds, computational power, and specialized services. 

Despite the presence of payment infrastructure, AI agents, and x402 arrived at a time of fatigue for new crypto projects. There is no new enthusiasm for app creation, and apps only attract users when there are sufficient signs of available liquidity. 

AI agents still lag behind trading bots

For now, the new wave of AI agents makes limited trades as a proof of concept. There is still a long way to go before AI agents become full-time users in the crypto space. 

Automation and bot-based activity have been key to crypto usage in the past few years. However, AI agents are yet to catch up with the regular trading and sniping bots. Those tools are simpler, but tailored to the existing liquidity structures in the crypto space. 

Trading bots remain key sources of activity on Ethereum, Solana, and BNB Chain, as well as Base. However, most of the trading bots use standard tokens, with no integration for x402. AI agents are also not yet involved in the large-scale operations of bots like Trojan, and are not deploying their own trading bots. 

During the current crypto market stage, AI agents and x402 payment protocols have created a new level of infrastructure, but are still waiting for liquidity and demand. As agents become more secure, they may drive a new wave of trading activity.

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