OKX Launches AI Agent Payments Protocol to Handle Full Business Transactions

TLDR

• OKX has launched the Agent Payments Protocol (APP), an open standard for AI agents to conduct full business transactions
• APP covers quoting, negotiating, escrow, usage tracking, settlement, and dispute handling in one framework
• The protocol runs across multiple blockchains including Ethereum and Solana, with low or zero gas fees on X Layer
• A self-custodial Agentic Wallet secured through trusted execution environments supports over 20 chains
• OKX competes with Google’s AP2, Coinbase’s x402, and Stripe-linked efforts in the race to build AI payment rails

OKX has launched a new open-standard payment protocol that allows AI agents to carry out full business transactions without human input. The protocol is called the Agent Payments Protocol, or APP.

Unlike existing systems that only handle basic machine-to-machine payments, APP is designed to cover the entire commercial process. This includes quoting, negotiating, escrow, usage tracking, settlement, and dispute resolution.

OKX said the bottleneck for AI agents had shifted from intelligence to commerce. The company stated that agents can now handle “the full cycle of doing business,” not just making payments.

The protocol is built as an open standard and works across multiple blockchains. Ethereum and Solana are among the supported networks. Developers can also use OKX’s Payment SDK on its X Layer blockchain, where some stablecoin transfers carry low or zero gas fees.

A self-custodial Agentic Wallet forms a core part of the system. It is secured through trusted execution environments and supports more than 20 chains.

Agents on the network communicate through HTTP and XMTP. The protocol also connects with messaging platforms including Telegram.

How the Escrow System Works

Escrow functionality is a key feature of APP. Funds are held and only released after a service has been verified and delivered. Built-in dispute resolution tools are still under development.

OKX gave an example of how agents could use the system. One agent can query a real-time market data feed, receive an HTTP 402 payment request, and pay per call with automatic settlement.

An agent can also hire a specialized sub-agent to complete a task. APP opens an escrow account, and payment is released once the work is verified.

A Crowded Race for AI Payment Rails

OKX is not alone in this space. Google has promoted its AP2 protocol, Coinbase has its x402 standard, and Visa and Stripe-linked efforts have also entered the market.

Coinbase has expanded its x402 ecosystem with Agentic.market. The platform lets AI agents discover and pay for services without API keys.

Amazon Web Services and Alibaba Cloud have also backed development of agentic payment standards. OKX said it worked with Base, Ethereum Foundation, Sui, Aptos, and Optimism on the protocol.

The launch also follows OKX’s recent move to integrate BitGo’s off-exchange settlement system in the United States. That setup lets institutional clients trade while keeping assets under third-party custody.

OKX Global CEO Star Xu said billions of AI agents will soon operate globally and will prefer cryptocurrency wallets over traditional bank accounts.

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