Understanding an AI in Fintech Hype Cycle; How a Permissioned DeFi Model for Cross-Border Payments Works; Open vs Closed Loop Stablecoin Ecosystem - Explained;

Sam Boboev

Nov 12, 2025

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Payments Wrap Up

Revolut Launches Fee-Free Fiat-to-Stablecoin Conversions

Revolut has unveiled a new feature allowing users to convert fiat currencies into stablecoins without fees, marking a bold move into digital assets. This initiative positions the neobank as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto, offering users seamless access to stablecoins like USDC and USDT. It’s part of Revolut’s broader strategy to expand …

a month ago · 1 like · Sam Boboev

Deep Dive of the Week

Is x402 Payments Protocol the Stripe for AI Agents?

“Remember when your browser said 404 Not Found? Well, now it might just say 402 – Payment Required.” This tongue-in-cheek greeting belies a serious development: x402, Coinbase’s new open payment protocol, injects native stablecoin payments directly into web traffic. It’s as if every HTTP request could carry a paywall of its own – one that AI agents and browsers could clear automatically. The crypto Twitterverse went wild (and wallets got itchy) when x402 launched, but beyond the meme coins and market caps lies a technically intriguing, and potentially transformative, vision for internet commerce. In this deep dive we’ll pry open x402’s guts, survey who’s trying it (and why), and sift the hype from the hard data. Buckle up – we’re about to pay attention to HTTP 402.