Cryptocurrency exchange OKX has launched an open protocol designed to allow AI agents to carry out full-fledged business transactions, expanding the scope of machine payments to end-to-end business activity.
summary
- OKX has launched an open agent payments protocol designed to allow AI agents to process full trade transactions, including quote, escrow and settlement.
- The exchange said current proxy payment systems do not support full transaction cycles, with escrow and dispute resolution features continuing to be developed.
According to OKX, an agent payments protocol He managed AI systems handle not only payments, but also quoting, negotiation, escrow, usage tracking, settlement, and dispute handling within a single framework.
“In the past few months, AI agents have moved from answering questions to managing workflows, managing business processes, and acting autonomously on behalf of users,” OKX reported, adding that “the bottleneck has shifted from intelligence to commerce, not just payment, but the full cycle of doing business.”
The protocol expands its scope beyond machine payments
OKX said current systems, such as x402, are primarily focused on enabling transactions between devices, while APP is designed to support the full lifecycle of business interactions.
“Current proxy payment solutions don’t handle any of this,” OKX said, referring to processes like escrow and dispute resolution, which the company plans to roll out in upcoming updates.
The protocol was created as an open standard that is compatible across multiple blockchains, with Ethereum and Solana among the supported networks. OKX said its Payment SDK allows developers to integrate one-time transactions, payments, and pay-as-you-go using the X Layer blockchain, with low or zero gas costs.
Self-custodial Agentic Wallet, secured by trusted execution environments, forms part of the system, supporting more than 20 chains. OKX added that the protocol enables communication between agents through HTTP and XMTP, while also integrating messaging platforms such as Telegram.
The escrow function will allow funds to be released only after service has been provided, while built-in dispute resolution tools are under development, according to the company.
The industry’s activity is based on agent trade
The launch comes as companies across the sector work on AI-driven transaction infrastructure. Coinbase has expanded its reach x402 ecosystem with Agentic.marketAI agents can discover and pay for services without API keys, according to comments from Coinbase product lead Nick Prince.
Prince said the platform is designed to “give humans and their agents access to thousands of services, without the need for any API keys,” while also describing it as “a storefront for discovering, comparing, and using x402 services.”
The infrastructure powered by Stripe has also focused on building networks suitable for high-volume automated transactions, while companies like Amazon Web Services and Alibaba Cloud have supported the development of proxy payment standards.
On the blockchain front, OKX said it has collaborated with ecosystems including Base, Ethereum Foundation, Sui, Aptos, and Optimism.
“The protocol is built on years of accumulation in on-chain infrastructure and AI, and was co-created with a group of distinguished partners,” OKX Global CEO Star Xu said, adding that the protocol is “the fundamental step that brings the agent economy to real-world implementation.”
The offering follows institutional and infrastructure push
The release builds on OKX’s recent expansion into institutional services. Exchange Built-in BitGo’s over-the-counter settlement system in the US, allowing companies to trade while holding assets in third-party custody.
Under this arrangement, BitGo acts as both custodian and settlement provider, reducing the need for pre-funded exchange accounts. OKX said the setup improves capital efficiency for institutional clients.
“Institutional capital entering cryptocurrencies requires capital protection and operation,” said Roshan Robert, CEO of OKX US and former director of Barclays, adding that the BitGo partnership gives clients flexibility in securing assets while maintaining access to trading.
BitGo, in its IPO filing, warned that OTC settlement carries operational and counterparty risks, including processing errors, delays in asset transfers, cybersecurity incidents, and settlement failures.
With APP, OKX has positioned its latest release as an AI-driven transaction infrastructure that spans from payments to complete business execution.
