NEW YORK, April 2 — Linux Foundation said it launched the x402 Foundation and is accepting the contribution of the x402 protocol from Coinbase, establishing a neutral, open-source governance structure for a proposed standard enabling payments over HTTP, according to a Linux Foundation press release.
The x402 protocol, initially developed by Coinbase, is designed to embed payment functionality directly into web interactions, allowing applications, APIs, and AI agents to exchange value in a similar manner to data transmission, the organization said.
Protocol governance moves to neutral foundation
The Linux Foundation said the newly established x402 Foundation will serve as the governing body for the protocol, with a mandate to ensure vendor neutrality, interoperability, and open development.
The protocol was initially developed in collaboration with Cloudflare and Stripe, and is now transitioning to a community-driven model under the Foundation’s oversight, the statement said.
Under this structure, development of the x402 protocol will take place in an open environment, with participation from a broad set of industry stakeholders, according to the announcement.
Industry participants express support
The Linux Foundation said the x402 Foundation is launching with support and participation from companies across payments, cloud infrastructure, and digital assets.
Initial participants expressing intent or support include Amazon Web Services, American Express, Circle, Google Cloud, Mastercard, Shopify, Solana Foundation, and Visa, among others.
The organization said membership will span multiple sectors, including financial services, cloud computing, and blockchain infrastructure.
Focus on open standard for web-based payments
The Linux Foundation said the x402 protocol is intended to support “payments over HTTP,” enabling value exchange to be integrated into standard web interactions.
The Foundation added that the protocol will remain vendor-neutral and open, with development guided by community participation and industry collaboration.
The announcement was made at the MCP Dev Summit North America, according to the statement.
