HTX Ventures Highlights X402 And ERC-8004 As Key Infrastructure Upgrades In Web3

In a recent report, HTX Ventures, the global investment arm of HTX, shed light on two emerging infrastructure upgrades, x402 and ERC-8004, that could potentially reshape the Web3 landscape. The report, titled “Pulse in the Cold: How x402 and ERC-8004 Signal Web3’s Next Technical Inflection Point,” examines the implications of these upgrades on Web3’s payment, identity, and coordination layers as machines increasingly become primary network users.

Industry leaders have taken notice of the technical developments in the machine economy, with HTX actively tracking advances in AI agent-driven and machine-economy-oriented infrastructure. The company has already listed projects associated with the x402 sector, including PING and PAYAI, providing users with early exposure to technologies that may underpin future machine-native markets. Historically, Web3’s most consequential infrastructure developments have taken shape during market downturns, when attention shifted away from price action and toward underlying capabilities.

The current market environment is no exception, with new demands on infrastructure arising from the need to support large-scale, machine-to-machine interaction. Traditional Web2 systems, built around human workflows, account-based access, and centralized trust, struggle to accommodate this shift.