📝 What the post says

According to the post, Cobo’s co-founder & CEO Shenyu talked about three technologies: x402, AP2, and ERC-8004. �

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He describes x402 and AP2 as payment/settlement infrastructure layers. �

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ERC-8004 is positioned as an on-chain “AI agent” registry, a mechanism to enable machines (AI agents) to perform economic transactions and be recognised/registered in a system. �

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The thrust: we’re entering a new era where machines (not just humans) can participate in economic activity — transacting, settling, potentially acting autonomously. �

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🔍 Why it’s meaningful

It expands the concept of payments and settlements: not just human→human, but machine→machine (and machine→human) becomes relevant.

For crypto/blockchain ecosystem: registration of AI agents (via something like ERC-8004) means infrastructure is being built to treat AI entities as counterparties. That’s a paradigm shift.

For businesses and innovators: If machines can pay, receive, execute, then business models change (automation of economic flows becomes more native).

For regulation & risk: This raises important questions around identity, liability, trust when “agents” are non-human. Infrastructure like settlement and registry needs robustness.

⚠️ My Thoughts & Caveats

The idea is compelling, but it’s early. The real test is how widely machines will independently transact, and how settlement/regulation will adapt.

Implementation challenges: How do you ensure these AI agents obey rules, have identity, have accountability? What happens if an agent misbehaves (fraud, error)?

Infrastructure risk: Payment/settlement layers (x402/AP2) must be secure, interoperable, and scalable — machines transacting at scale adds speed/volume and thus risk.

Local/Regional relevance: If you’re in Pakistan or South Asia, consider that infrastructure/regulation may differ; adoption speed could lag, so timing matters.

🎯 What to watch if you’re interested

Follow developments of “agent registries” (like ERC-8004) in on-chain systems — adoption, standards, who uses them.

Look at projects/infrastructures building machine-to-machine payments; check how they secure identity, settlement, auditability.

Keep an eye on regulation: when machines are counterparties, the law/regulators will likely respond (liability, disclosures, risk).

Evaluate where your business or skillset could fit: Are you building something that serves machine economic participation? Or could your business be impacted by this shift?