AWS adds USDC payments for AI bot content access via x402

Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced it has added a feature to its Web Application Firewall (WAF) allowing content owners and publishers to charge AI bots and agents in USDC for access. When a bot attempts to access protected content, the WAF requires a payment, displaying the price, payment networks like Base and Solana, and the recipient wallet address. The bot can then read this price tag, automatically execute the payment without human intervention, and retrieve the content. This automated transaction process uses the open-standard x402 protocol. AWS stated it is not involved in payment processing or fee collection, as funds are sent directly to the designated wallet. The feature is only available in environments connected to Amazon's Content Delivery Network (CDN), CloudFront.