Cloudflare CEO Announces NET Dollar Stablecoin for AI Agent Micropayments
Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince announced the launch of NET Dollar, a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin designed for AI agent micropayments on Thursday.
The connectivity cloud firm plans to deploy NET Dollar because the cost spine for autonomous AI techniques that ebook flights, order groceries, and handle calendars with out human intervention.
“For a long time, the enterprise mannequin of the Internet ran on advert platforms and financial institution transfers,” Prince acknowledged, including that “The Internet’s subsequent enterprise mannequin will probably be powered by pay-per-use, fractional funds, and microtransactions.”
The stablecoin will leverage Cloudflare’s world community to course of funds at web velocity, concentrating on basic limitations in present monetary techniques designed for human-initiated transactions.
AI Agents Drive New Payment Infrastructure Requirements
NET Dollar emerges as AI brokers more and more require cost techniques able to dealing with hundreds of thousands of automated transactions with out human oversight.
Traditional cost rails, similar to wire transfers and bank cards, can not accommodate the moment settlements and micropayments that autonomous techniques demand.
The firm’s stablecoin will permit world funds throughout totally different currencies and time zones, facilitate instantaneous programmatic transactions for time-sensitive purchases, and supply compensation for content material creators and API builders.
Personal AI brokers may mechanically buy the most affordable accessible flight tickets or purchase gadgets the second they go on sale, whereas enterprise brokers may pay suppliers instantly upon supply affirmation.
Cloudflare is concurrently contributing to open requirements, together with the Agent Payments Protocol and x402, which simplify cost processing throughout the web infrastructure.
@Cloudflare and @Coinbase launch x402 Foundation, enabling AI brokers to make automated internet funds with out human intervention.#Coinbase #Cloudflarehttps://t.co/alOGWivZiz
— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) September 24, 2025
The x402 protocol, developed with Coinbase, converts the HTTP “402 Payment Required” error code right into a purposeful cost system, permitting machines to buy knowledge and providers straight.
Amazon Web Services is already exploring x402 integration for cloud computing funds, probably reworking the $1.9 trillion cloud market anticipated by 2030.
Regulatory Framework Shapes Stablecoin Infrastructure Development
The NET Dollar announcement comes amid unprecedented regulatory readability for stablecoins, with the U.S. GENIUS Act offering complete federal pointers which have reshaped business technique.
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has launched an initiative permitting stablecoins to function tokenized collateral in derivatives markets, with CFTC performing chair Caroline Pham calling it the “killer app” for modernizing monetary infrastructure.
European markets are concurrently positioning themselves for competitors, with nine major euro banks backing a MiCA-regulated stablecoin set to launch within the second half of 2026, in search of to problem U.S. greenback dominance.
Nine European banks will launch a MiCA-regulated, euro-backed stablecoin that may contribute to Europe’s strategic autonomy in funds.#EURStablecoin #MiCARegulationhttps://t.co/FEUGRf7hgS
— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) September 25, 2025
Meanwhile, the regulatory momentum has allowed tech giants to embrace stablecoin integration, with Google adding stablecoin support to its new AI payment framework by means of partnerships with Coinbase and the Ethereum Foundation.
Google’s James Tromans referred to as stablecoins “most likely probably the most vital cost upgrades for the reason that SWIFT community,” with a community impact that has triggered a rising consensus amongst tech giants relating to the position of programmable cash in autonomous techniques.
Within the identical interval, the broader stablecoin market has expanded from $4 billion in 2020 to over $280 billion as we speak, with bots already accounting for 70% of stablecoin transfer volume, based on business knowledge.
In reality, current business projections from Citigroup have proven that the stablecoin sector may attain over $2 trillion in market capitalization by 2030.
Major stablecoin issuers now rank seventeenth globally in U.S. Treasury holdings, surpassing nations similar to South Korea and Germany of their affect on authorities debt markets.
Additionally, Cloudflare just isn’t the primary to implement an AI-powered cost system. Circle co-founder Sean Neville not too long ago launched Catena Labs with $18 million in funding to create the primary totally regulated AI-native monetary establishment, positioning stablecoins as important infrastructure for autonomous financial exercise.
While stablecoins are rising and being adopted throughout varied verticals, banking business teams are pushing again in opposition to the expansion, warning that regulatory gaps may set off $6.6 trillion in deposit outflows from conventional banks.
However, Coinbase research suggests that the majority stablecoin exercise happens internationally, doesn’t pose a risk to banks, and will as a substitute strengthen greenback dominance with out materially impacting home banking deposits.
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