Cloudflare launches tool to charge AI agents in USDC

On Wednesday, Cloudflare announced new tools that allow businesses to charge AI agents in USDC, the dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Circle. The initiative, called Monetization Gateway, is currently in a closed beta for eligible buyers and sellers based in the United States.

The service acts as an intermediary between websites and visiting AI agents. When an automated agent requests information or an online service, Cloudflare sets a price and provides access once payment clears. The transaction takes place automatically, eliminating the need for humans to manage recurring monthly subscriptions or manually input credit card information.

Technically, the system relies on Coinbase's x402 payment standard to verify automated access charges. Transactions are settled in USDC on Base, Coinbase's native blockchain network. The launch builds directly on the rollout of cloudflare.pay in August, which enables AI agents to verify authorization and draw funds from a linked digital wallet.

Cloudflare Product Manager Rohin Lohe stated that the company will expand features and onboarding through the rest of the year, targeting broad public availability by early 2027.