Now if the problem they want to solve is the case of low amount payments (they claim "no high minimum") then a percentage fee is not an issue, but a per-transaction fee can be absolutely massive. Also depending on the blockchain, you're exposed to fee volatility, which might be another issue.
Am I missing something here?
These days many transaction types onchain are completely free and subsidized because gas costs are subcent[1].
x402 functions predominantly on L2 networks like Base, where individual tx costs between agents are generally not a factor.
Not necessarily. Crypto wallet can authorize expense just by signing something and sending that signature. No blockchain transaction takes place. Then these signatures are batched.
Obligatory self promotion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hHG8gOkZBE & https://github.com/SerJaimeLannister/randomnano & just because I am lazy and I had never written what this software is except in one comment on HN which I am also going to link lol which is going to be best that I can sum it up with https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44700680
Which loops through a lot of transactions with a custom nano vanity id generator to embed data into blockchain which would have 0 gas fees.
Want to do something with it one day but not sure how to, or even if its worth it given the decentralized nature and Like, I want to really play with it once I can secure myself a college and then a job & maybe I will do it in my side project.
we can get decentralized systems to sub 0.0000000000001 cent fees. Fee volatility Wille xist but thats a prerequisite for openness.