- x402 (Coinbase): an agent pays per API call in stablecoin, triggered by the HTTP 402 status code, no account needed.
- AP2 (Google): a signed "mandate" proves a human authorized the agent to spend, over existing payment rails.
- AWS AgentCore Payments: a payments capability AWS built into its Bedrock AgentCore agent platform, launched May 2026.
Glossary
What Are Agentic Payments? AI Agent Wallets Explained
Agentic payments are payments an AI agent initiates and completes on its own, without a human clicking approve at checkout. A person sets the budget and rules up front, then the agent pays for API calls, subscriptions, or purchases as it works. x402, AP2, and AWS AgentCore Payments are the standards defining how this works today.
- 1 min read
- Updated August 10, 2026
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