Google and Coinbase Join Forces to Launch AI-Powered Stablecoin Payment Protocol

Crypto Is The Money For AI, Says Economist As Coinbase CEO Teases Stablecoin-Powered Transactions Between Agents - Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN)

Renowned economist Alex Tabbarok described cryptocurrencies as the "money" for artificial intelligence on Tuesday after Coinbase Global Inc. COIN CEO teased a new feature that enables AI agents to transact using stablecoins. AI Agents To Use USDC For Quick Settlements Tabbarok's remark was in response to Brian Armstrong's X post about the integration of the x402, an internet-native payment protocol developed by Coinbase, into Google's new Agentic Payments Protocol, AP2. "Agents can actually pay each other now, with x402 powering the stablecoin rail inside Google's new Agentic Payments Protocol (AP2)," Armstrong said. With this integration, agents can now execute tasks themselves that previously required manual intervention, such as payments for data crawls, services or microtasks, Coinbase said in a separate blog post. Coinbase added that customers can pay in USDC USDC/USD with a single tap, with no card numbers or zip codes required for authentication. See Also: AI Funding Landscape On Fire: Over $11.4 Billion Spanning Nuclear and Consumer to Data A Developing Trend AI agents are software systems that use AI to pursue goals and execute tasks on behalf of users. Agents can work with other agents to coordinate and perform complex workflows and Tabbarok's comments echo a growing sentiment within the tech industry about the synergy between AI and cryptocurrency. Renowned investor Cathie Wood highlighted the transformative potential of cryptocurrency and AI in the financial services sector earlier in May. Coinbase's Big AI Embrace Armstrong-led Coinbase, meanwhile, has embarked on an ambitious AI push, aiming to increase the percentage of AI-generated code at the company to more than 50% within the next month. The cryptocurrency behemoth is pushing its employees to increase adoption of large language models and admitted to firing those who failed to adapt in time. Price Action: Coinbase shares were down 0.39% in pre-market trading after closing 0.27% lower at $327.91 during Wednesday's regular trading session, according to data from Benzinga Pro. Read Next: Is Your Job Safe? AI Disruption Is Closer Than You Think, Trent Gillespie Warns Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo courtesy: Camilo Concha / Shutterstock.com COINCoinbase Global Inc$326.63-0.39%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum93.18Growth93.64QualityN/AValue21.35Price TrendShortMediumLongOverview$USDCUSD Coin - United States dollar$0.9998-%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

COIN Rises As Google Partners Coinbase To Launch AI Payments Protocol

x402 and AP2 integration will enable autonomous payments by AI systems. Coinbase stock climbed today after Google announced a new AI payments protocol that includes stablecoin support. The partnership places Coinbase at the center of Google's effort to merge artificial intelligence with digital transactions. COIN Surges as Google-Coinbase Protocol Strengthens AI and Stablecoin Integration Per TradingView data, COIN price closed at $327.02, up 1.23%, before surging further in pre-market trading to $333.81, a gain of more than 2%. The stock's sharp uptick reflects confidence that the company will benefit as more institutions adopt stablecoin and AI payment systems. According to a Fortune report, the open-source framework launched by Google allows AI agents to send and receive funds through both traditional means and blockchain-based stablecoins. Coinbase worked with Google to ensure compatibility with its own crypto payments system, making it one of the most visible partners in the project. James Tromans, Google Cloud's head of Web3, said the system was designed to combine legacy financial rails with modern digital assets. He emphasized that the inclusion of stablecoins ensures that transactions between AI-driven applications remain reliable and secure. The development provides direct exposure for Coinbase to one of Big Tech's most ambitious integrations of crypto into mainstream commerce. Erik Reppel, Coinbase's head of engineering, said the focus is on enabling AI to transmit value seamlessly across platforms. x402 and AP2 Unlock Autonomous AI Payments, Driving Stablecoin Adoption Coinbase also introduced x402, a payments infrastructure that directly powers the stablecoin rails inside Google's new Agentic Payments Protocol (AP2). In addition, the plan by Coinbase's Base to launch a network token is proof of how the company is expanding beyond trading into deeper blockchain infrastructure. Shopify has already announced plans to enable stablecoin payments this year. The wider trend is fueling expectations that digital assets will play a larger role in the future of commerce. Under a crypto-friendly administration in the U.S., interest in stablecoins has risen sharply. Regulators, businesses, and investors are now showing more willingness to implement blockchain-based payments.