- Ripple joined the Linux Foundation’s x402 Foundation as a Premier Member to help govern the open payment protocol.
- The x402 protocol enables AI agents, APIs, and apps to complete internet-native payments over HTTP.
- Ripple supports XRP and RLUSD payments on x402, while 40 organizations now back the open governance initiative.
The Linux Foundation has operationally launched the x402 Foundation after Coinbase contributed the x402 protocol under open governance. Ripple joined as a Premier Member alongside several global technology and financial companies. According to the Linux Foundation, the initiative aims to establish an open payment standard that enables AI agents, APIs, and applications to complete financial transactions directly over HTTP.
Open Governance Expands Payment Standard
According to the Linux Foundation, the x402 Foundation will oversee protocol development through a community-governed structure. The organization said the framework allows developers, financial institutions, cloud providers, and other members to shape future technical standards.
The Foundation also said the protocol supports multiple payment methods, including traditional cards and stablecoins. Moreover, it aims to avoid vendor lock-in while maintaining interoperability across different payment systems.
Jim Zemlin, chief executive officer of the Linux Foundation, said AI agents have lacked a native and secure way to transact. He added that the Foundation brings together companies across finance and technology to develop an open internet payment layer.
Ripple Highlights XRP Ledger Support
Ripple announced that it joined the x402 Foundation as a Premier Member. The company said AI agents increasingly require payment infrastructure matching the speed of data exchange.
According to Ripple, developers already can enable agent payments using XRP and RLUSD through x402 support on the XRP Ledger. Markus Infanger, senior vice president of RippleX, said Ripple has been building infrastructure that supports trusted machine-to-machine payments.
Ripple also said it will contribute to the Foundation’s governance and technical work. The company added that open standards help create consistent payment systems across the industry.
Forty Organizations Join Foundation
The Linux Foundation said 40 organizations have joined the x402 Foundation since announcing plans in April. Premier members include Ripple, Coinbase, Amazon Web Services, American Express, Circle, Google, Mastercard, Shopify, Solana Foundation, Stellar Development Foundation, Stripe, Visa, and several others.
Supporting members also described x402 as a framework for internet-native payments supporting AI-driven commerce. According to the Linux Foundation, the protocol allows applications and AI agents to exchange value as easily as they exchange information while remaining under open governance.
