Chandler Fang, founder of AI payment startup t54.ai, revealed that the x402 Facilitator infrastructure on the XRP Ledger has executed over 10 million transactions by AI agents. In an interview released by the XRPL Foundation on November 15, the tally of total transactions was disclosed as 11.7 million.
Rapid Expansion in Transaction Volume
In the interview, recorded at the XRP Seoul 2026 event, Fang noted that merely three to four months ago, transactions by AI agents on XRPL were virtually non-existent. He emphasized that transaction volume has surged dramatically over the past three months.
Chandler Fang remarked, “The 10 million transactions on XRPL are only the beginning. We anticipate a much stronger upswing in AI-driven transaction numbers next year.”
The x402 Facilitator bridges AI agents with the payment infrastructure, enabling payment with XRP or RLUSD without requiring individual wallets for each transaction. Fang mentioned that over 200 vendors are currently integrated into this network.
Focus on Micro-Payments for Specific Tasks
According to Fang, current prevalent usage involves paying for AI computing power. Instead of subscriptions costing between $20 to $200 monthly, an agent can pay approximately $0.50 to $1 per task. These payments are finalized on the XRPL network.
Fang highlighted that these payments are small in value but frequent, which optimizes XRPL’s high transaction capacity and low fee structure. He expects agent-driven payments to expand into physical-world shopping over the upcoming quarters, exemplifying a scenario where real-world purchases, like buying coffee outside the event venue, are made via XRP and agent transactions.
Risk Management and Mastercard Partnership
Fang identified security as a primary concern in agent payments. t54.ai’s Trustline product focuses on risk management in AI agents’ financial activities. He likened this to the dispute and chargeback mechanisms available in credit card systems.
Fang explained, “t54.ai is responsible for managing risks in Mastercard’s agentic payment program, with transactions processed according to the Mastercard Verifiable Intent protocol.”
The company participates in Mastercard’s agentic payment program, with x402 Facilitator transactions processed via the Mastercard Verifiable Intent protocol aimed at verifying AI agents’ behavior. Fang also disclosed ongoing talks for a three-way collaboration among t54.ai, Ripple, and Mastercard, with initial results set to be showcased at an upcoming hackathon event.
Fang speculated that AI agents could dominate transactions on XRPL next year, potentially surpassing those initiated by humans during certain periods.
