Overview
- Erik Reppel told the Consensus Miami audience that autonomous AI agents ignore online ads and could upend the web’s ad-based business model.
- x402, the open protocol he created, uses the HTTP “Payment Required” code to trigger stablecoin micropayments, with a suggested five-cent charge per agent visit.
- CoinDesk framed the push as part of the crypto industry’s effort to make stablecoins the payment rail for AI-driven access to content, data, and APIs.
- Reppel cited estimates that the agent economy could reach $3–5 trillion within a few years, presenting it as a projection rather than a settled outcome.
- Crypto.news reported that Cloudflare handles large volumes of HTTP 402 responses and is working with Coinbase on x402, a sign sites may shift to billing bots directly.