Quai Network Introduces x402 Work, letting AI Agents Pay for Services with Computing Power

Quai Network has introduced x402 Work, an open payment standard that allows devices to pay for online services by completing proof-of-work tasks instead of using traditional payment methods. The system is designed for browsers, scripts, and AI agents that need to purchase digital services without creating accounts, managing wallets, or holding API keys.

The announcement also introduces Hashference, the first service built on x402 Work. Hashference provides access to more than 45 AI models through OpenAI- and Anthropic-compatible APIs, allowing users to pay through mining, cryptocurrency credits, or individual proof-of-work payments.

Both products were developed by Dominant Strategies, the team behind Quai Network, and use Quai's proof-of-work infrastructure.

How x402 Work turns computing power into payments

The x402 standard uses HTTP's existing 402 Payment Required status code to support payments directly within web requests. Under the conventional x402 model, a service can request payment through a funded cryptocurrency wallet before providing access.

x402 Work changes that process by replacing the wallet payment with a small proof-of-work challenge.

When a device requests a paid resource, the server responds with a 402 Payment Required message containing a price and a mining task. The device solves the task using its available computing hardware and sends the solution with another request. Once the server verifies the work, it provides access to the requested resource.

The process follows a simple sequence:

1. A device sends a normal HTTP request to access a resource.
2. The server responds with a payment requirement and a proof-of-work challenge.
3. The device completes the assigned computational task.
4. The device resubmits the request with proof of completed work.
5. The server verifies the solution and returns the requested resource.

The system uses the existing x402 payment headers while introducing proof-of-work as another payment mechanism. This means devices can pay for individual requests without first registering an account or funding a wallet.

According to Quai Network, the system is designed to support different hardware configurations, including CPUs, GPUs, and ASIC miners.

Quai Network positions x402 Work for AI agents

One of the main use cases for x402 Work is automated software that needs to purchase information or computing resources independently.

AI agents increasingly interact with APIs, research services, and other online tools. However, traditional payment systems often require account registration, payment credentials, or API keys. These requirements can make autonomous transactions more difficult to manage.

x402 Work aims to remove those requirements by allowing an agent to complete a computational task whenever it needs access to a paid resource.

Quai Network also highlights privacy as a potential benefit. Since the payment does not require a wallet address, account, or card details, the payment method itself does not create the same identity trail associated with conventional transactions.

The system could also give website operators another way to monetize automated traffic. Instead of blocking scrapers entirely, publishers and service providers could charge for individual page requests, allowing automated users to access content while compensating the service provider.

These are intended use cases rather than evidence of widespread adoption.

x402 Work supports multiple mining algorithms

Quai Network says x402 Work is designed as an open standard that can support different proof-of-work algorithms through hardware profiles.

Its initial profiles include:

• SHA-256d: Supports CPU, GPU, and ASIC hardware.
• KawPoW: Supports GPU-based mining.
• Scrypt: Supports ASIC mining.

Quai is positioning its network as the settlement layer for the system. Its solo-mining design allows sellers to direct mining rewards to their own addresses without relying on a mining pool.

The project also connects the system to its two native assets, QUAI and Qi. The announcement describes these assets as energy-based money, with work settling natively into the Quai ecosystem.

The distinction is important: completing a proof-of-work challenge establishes payment for a service. It does not guarantee a mining block reward. Only solutions that also meet the network's mining requirements can produce a separate block reward.

The full x402 Work specification is available through a pull request submitted to the x402 Foundation repository.

Hashference brings more than 45 AI models to the payment system

Hashference is the first service launched using x402 Work. It provides access to more than 45 AI models from providers including Anthropic, OpenAI, DeepSeek, Kimi, Qwen, GLM, Grok, Llama, Mistral, and Gemma.

The platform supports OpenAI-compatible and Anthropic-compatible APIs, allowing developers to connect it with existing tools and workflows.

It also supports development environments and coding assistants such as Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, VS Code, OpenCode, Cline, and Roo Code.

Users can access models through four payment methods:

1. Pay per request with proof-of-work: Devices complete a mining task for individual API calls without requiring an API key or prepaid balance.
2. Mine for credits: Users connect CPUs, GPUs, ASICs, or mining rigs through a Stratum interface. Accepted mining shares generate credits that can be spent on model requests.
3. Purchase credits: Users can fund their accounts with QUAI, Qi, USDT, USDC, ETH, or BTC.
4. Stake QUAI: Users can stake QUAI through Hashference's plans to receive monthly platform credits.

Hashference also offers a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, allowing compatible AI agents to discover models, check balances, and make requests. Its x402 integration can also let agents pay for individual model calls using computing work.

What x402 Work could mean for the machine economy

The introduction of x402 Work reflects a broader effort to develop payment infrastructure for software that operates without constant human involvement.

Traditional payment systems were designed around people, accounts, and financial credentials. Autonomous agents, however, may need to make frequent, small payments for data, API access, and inference services.

By making computational work a payment method, x402 Work proposes a different approach. A device can use its available hardware to pay for a service as it needs it, while providers can receive value for each request.

The model also creates potential opportunities for publishers, API operators, and developers who want to charge automated traffic without requiring conventional checkout systems.

However, its practical adoption will depend on factors such as the cost of completing proof-of-work challenges, hardware efficiency, service pricing, and the willingness of developers to integrate the standard.

For Quai Network, x402 Work and Hashference represent an attempt to connect proof-of-work mining with the growing demand for AI services. Whether this approach gains traction will depend on how effectively it works for both service providers and autonomous software.