Mastercard Adopts x402 and USDC for Agent Payments on Base

Base said Mastercard is adopting an agent-payment method that uses x402 and USDC and settles on Base, putting a specific token and network behind the payment method.

The announcement names USDC alongside x402 and Base, which featured in Mastercard’s earlier Agent Pay pilot. That pilot included a nine-payment demonstration and used x402 for payments, with Base handling onchain settlement.

Under x402, a digital service can return an HTTP 402 payment request. An agent can sign a voucher within its approved limit, which the service provider checks before granting access. Providers can collect vouchers and redeem them together later.