Cardano has officially integrated the x402 codebase, adding support for x402 payments on its mainnet and the preprod and preview testnets. This implementation allows developers to access AI-oriented payment scenarios, elevating the blockchain to a new level in the evolution of decentralized payments. Cardano's move follows Solana's establishment of leadership in this area: nearly 80% of all x402 payments by volume are processed through the Solana network, which recently surpassed Base as the largest blockchain for x402 transactions.
The integration of x402 comes amid Cardano's strengthening position in the market. The ADA token has risen by 8% this month and by 17% last month, outpacing most major high-cap assets. While Ethereum showed a 30% increase in August, ADA is beginning to recover its losses: the ADA/ETH pair has shown positive monthly dynamics for the first time in three months, indicating a strengthening of Cardano's position relative to Ethereum. At the same time, the DeFi ecosystem of the network is gaining volume: the market capitalization of Cardano's stablecoins has increased by nearly 5% over the week, adding approximately $3 million in liquidity to the network.
Cardano's development goes far beyond payment integration. The network positions 2026 as a period of significant progress, with a key element being the scalable Leios upgrade aimed at enhancing the throughput and overall performance of the blockchain. Along with the implementation of x402, these updates demonstrate that Cardano is laying the groundwork for the next stage of development, where ADA could receive a new catalyst for growth in the fourth quarter.