Ankr x402 payments went live on Monad mainnet on October 15, connecting autonomous AI agents to blockchain infrastructure. Ankr said agents can pay in USDC for individual data requests without establishing a customer account.

How Ankr x402 payments work

An agent first calls an Ankr endpoint. The service responds with HTTP status 402 and payment terms. The agent signs a USDC payment on Monad, resubmits the request, and receives data after the network facilitator verifies settlement.

The process gives software agents a direct purchasing route instead of requiring a developer to arrange subscriptions and credentials. That model extends automated payments beyond consumer transfers such as Mastercard’s stablecoin-to-bank payout platform.

What AI agents can access

The live service supports Ankr’s agent tools and conventional JSON-RPC calls. Available information includes decoded transactions, event logs, native balances, contract metadata, token prices and view functions for Monad smart contracts.

Ankr x402 payments use the company’s TORPC specification for agent-readable blockchain data. Agents can check balances or pool conditions before a transaction, then decode receipts to confirm execution. Infrastructure security remains important as autonomous tools gain access, a concern also reflected in Radware’s MCP server safeguards.

Why pay-per-request infrastructure matters

Traditional APIs usually require advance registration, payment credentials and an API key. The x402 model places payment terms inside the request cycle, allowing an agent to discover and purchase a service without a pre-existing commercial relationship.

The launch initially covers Monad through its API Hub. Adoption will depend on agent demand, stablecoin liquidity and reliable settlement. The use of USDC also connects the service to broader stablecoin infrastructure, including regional payment-rail investment.

Source: Ankr’s October 15 product announcement.

Elsy Kanana is a financial and cryptocurrency journalist at FusionMarketNews, covering digital assets, blockchain technology, financial markets, and emerging fintech trends. Her reporting focuses on market movements, regulatory developments, and on-chain analytics, delivering clear, data-driven insights to readers worldwide.