The Graph Network Enables AI Agents to Pay Per Query with x402 Support

🤖 Agents pay as they query

By The Graph
Jul 16, 2026, 3:15 PM
twitter

The Graph Network now supports x402 payments, allowing AI agents to query blockchain data and pay autonomously without API keys or pre-configuration.​

Key features:

  • Pay-per-query in USDC over HTTP
  • No accounts, sessions, or setup required
  • Machine-native payments end-to-end

How it works: The system uses GraphTally for settlement, processing signed receipts offchain in microseconds with no gas fees.​ Indexers aggregate receipts into batches and settle onchain in single transactions.​

Why it matters: x402 revives HTTP 402 (Payment Required) as a machine-native billing standard for the agentic web.​ The Graph has run this pattern in production since early 2025, now standardized for broader adoption.​

Read more: Understanding x402 and ERC-8004

Sources
The Graph
The Graph
@graphprotocol
·Follow

Why GraphTally reads like x402, a year early: sub-cent, high-frequency, trust-minimized. Instead of transferring tokens per query, gateways attach a signed Receipt to each request, an IOU processed offchain in microseconds with no gas fees. Indexers aggregate those Receipts into

The Graph
The Graph
@graphprotocol

Everyone is talking about x402 and machine-native payments. The Graph Network has run the same pattern in production since early 2025: GraphTally. Pay-per-query, no accounts, signed offchain, trust-minimized. And Subgraphs now accept x402 directly. thegraph.com/blog/graphtall…

127
Reply
Read 5 replies
Read more about The Graph

The Graph Explains When to Use Subgraphs vs Substreams for Blockchain Data

The Graph published guidance on choosing between two data solutions for blockchain applications. **Key differences:** - **Subgraphs**: Best for structured, queryable onchain data in user-facing applications - **Substreams**: Designed for high-throughput data pipelines that can send data to multiple destinations The choice depends on your specific use case - neither solution replaces the other. Both tools address different aspects of accessing blockchain data and serve as infrastructure for the emerging agent economy. [Read the full comparison guide](https://thegraph.com/blog/subgraphs-or-substreams-blockchain-data-solution/)

The Graph Indexes ERC-8004 Agents Across Five Major Blockchains

The Graph now indexes all ERC-8004 trustless agents across Base, BNB Chain, Ethereum, Monad, and Polygon networks. **Key Features:** - Millisecond-fast agent discovery - Real-time reputation queries - Capability search functionality - Cross-chain agent economy support The Agent0 Subgraphs provide real-time indexing for agent identity, capabilities, reputation, and validation. Built as a public good with The Graph Protocol, this infrastructure enables quick access to agent data across multiple blockchain networks. Read more: [The Graph Blog](http://thegraph.com/blog/agent0-subgraphs-live-erc-8004-agent-economy/)

AI Agents Need Structured Blockchain Data to Function at Scale

**AI agents operate at machine speed**, making thousands of decisions per minute in the crypto economy. Unlike humans who browse block explorers, these agents require **structured, normalized, and queryable blockchain data** to function effectively. - Agents assessing DeFi risk cannot work with raw transaction logs - They need data formatted for rapid querying and decision-making - The infrastructure enabling this agent economy operates behind the scenes This represents a fundamental shift in how blockchain data must be organized and accessed. As AI agents become more prevalent in web3, the demand for **properly structured data infrastructure** will intensify dramatically. The agent economy isn't about human-readable interfaces—it's about machine-optimized data pipelines that can support thousands of automated decisions every minute.

Agent0 Subgraphs Now Live Across Five Mainnets with Unified GraphQL Schema

**Agent0 Subgraphs are now operational across five major blockchain networks** - Base, BNB Chain, Ethereum, Monad, and Polygon - using a single GraphQL schema. **Key features:** - Real-time indexing of every ERC-8004 agent across all chains - No code rewrites needed when switching between networks - Already processed over 1 million queries - Accessible via [Graph Explorer](https://thegraph.com/explorer?search=agent0) **What this enables:** - Developers can query agent data with a single GraphQL request instead of scanning thousands of blocks - AI agents can discover, hire, and interact with each other using structured blockchain data - Machine-scale data access for agents that operate continuously The infrastructure indexes agent identities, capabilities, reputation, and validation data in milliseconds. Developers building ERC-8004 agents can now access comprehensive onchain data without building custom indexers.