# The Stable Standard - Issue # 6 *Fast. Predictable. Agent-native. * By [Stable](https://blog.stable.xyz) · 2026-04-01 --- Welcome to the sixth edition of _The Stable Standard_, where we share progress across the Stable network and how **stablecoin-native infrastructure is emerging as the foundation for the agentic economy**. This month, new research from [Citrini](https://www.citriniresearch.com/p/agentic-utilities) underscores a key shift: as agents become more autonomous, execution is emerging as the primary bottleneck. Stablecoins have improved settlement, but execution remains fragmented and unreliable. Stable is highlighted as a solution to this challenge, simplifying how agents transact by removing gas and multi-token complexity. **Key Takeaways** ----------------- * Agentic payments are shifting toward request-level, API-native transactions, replacing subscription-based models * Execution, not settlement, is the primary bottleneck in current systems * Stable removes gas and multi-token complexity by enabling USDT for both gas and settlement * Fewer steps improve reliability, allowing agents to transact more consistently * Infrastructure optimized for micropayments and real-time settlement is becoming essential for the agentic economy **The Payment Rail for the Agentic Economy** -------------------------------------------- Recent research from [Citrini](https://www.citriniresearch.com/p/agentic-utilities)  highlights a key constraint in agentic payments today: while stablecoins improve settlement, execution across most chains still depends on separate gas tokens and multi-asset workflows. This introduces friction, cost variability, and additional failure points for systems that are meant to operate autonomously. **Stable is positioned as a solution to these constraints.** ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/779e5f077d06fee593c2e6e93b2b66516fb8c5c381970c9bb58dd76eaf75ec95.jpg) By using **USDT for both gas and settlement**, Stable enables agents to transact in a single, stable unit of account. Costs are predictable and fully denominated in dollars, with no need for gas conversion and no exposure to volatile native tokens. **As Citrini notes, _“No need to maintain a separate balance solely to execute transactions.”_** This simplification directly improves reliability. Fewer steps in the transaction flow mean fewer points of failure, allowing agentic systems to operate more consistently under real-world conditions. Instead of managing multiple assets and execution paths, agents transact through a single, unified flow. ### **How Stable Enables Agentic Payments** While protocols like x402 enable payments to be embedded into API requests, the efficiency of this model depends on the settlement layer. Stable is optimized for **agentic, request-level payments**: * **Stablecoin-native execution**, allowing pricing directly in USDT * **~700ms finality**, enabling near real-time verification * **Low costs (~$0.0001 per tx)**, making micropayments viable  At the execution layer, Stable reduces complexity further. Gas Waiver infrastructure removes the need to manage gas tokens, while **EIP-3009 signature-based transfers** allow agents to authorize payments off-chain with settlement handled by infrastructure providers. In practice, this enables **lightweight, API-level payments**, where agents can transact programmatically without accounts, subscriptions, or multi-token overhead.  **Payments become part of the request flow itself, rather than a separate system to manage.** **Mainnet Momentum** -------------------- Following the v1.2.0 upgrade, activity on Stable continues to scale as builders and early partners deploy to mainnet. The network has now surpassed **5,000 smart contracts deployed, 43,000 active addresses, and 999,000 transactions processed within the first three months**. As adoption grows, a clear pattern is emerging: demand for **stablecoin-native infrastructure** across payments, transfers, and settlement flows is moving from early traction to sustained usage. **Post v1.2.0 Mainnet Upgrade: Adoption and System Improvements** ----------------------------------------------------------------- Since the v1.2.0 upgrade, Stable has continued to see adoption across its core transaction and gas model, alongside improvements to execution reliability and user experience. * **USDT0 Gas Adoption **An increasing share of transactions are now executed using USDT0 for gas, simplifying execution and reducing reliance on multi-token workflows. * **Gas-Waived Transactions **Gas-waived flows are now actively used across select use cases, enabling smoother onboarding and more seamless application-level interactions. * **Transaction UX Improvements **Transaction flows have become more predictable and streamlined, with fewer dependencies and clearer cost structures. * **Developer & Infrastructure Improvements **Enhancements to contract compatibility and system-level signaling have improved reliability for developers building on Stable. **Community and Ecosystem Updates** ----------------------------------- This month, Stable continued to expand its presence across global industry conversations and ecosystem channels, reinforcing its positioning at the intersection of **stablecoin infrastructure and real-world payments**. * **This week, our CEO, Brian Mehler will be joining the discussion hosted by Infini**, alongside leading teams, to explore the agent economy and the role of AI-native finance. [![User Avatar](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/0c33c9077b2f970347cd882720a38453acc7a4d1fbf824c97a36a6cc2e5348b0.jpg)](https://twitter.com/Stable) [Stable](https://twitter.com/Stable) [@Stable](https://twitter.com/Stable) [](https://twitter.com/Stable/status/2038214009128943686) Tune in tomorrow at 12:00 UTC for a stacked Twitter Space on AI-native finance. ![🎙️](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f399.png) Our CEO [@mehler](https://twitter.com/mehler) joins the lineup alongside [@0xinfini](https://twitter.com/0xinfini), [@billions\_ntwk](https://twitter.com/billions_ntwk), [@DonutAI](https://twitter.com/DonutAI) and other leading teams. ![🤖](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f916.png) Mark your calendar ![📅](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f4c5.png) [![User Avatar](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/2b8e1b1506603db81cdca3cc0e588e411d9ce739f8969909c9f07856b81a6def.jpg)](https://twitter.com/0xinfini) [Infini](https://twitter.com/0xinfini) [@0xinfini](https://twitter.com/0xinfini) [](https://twitter.com/0xinfini/status/2038197299147370707) AI × Crypto is entering a new era. We are hosting a special Founders’ Talk on: 2026 AI × Crypto Thesis: The Agent Economy As AI agents evolve from content engines to economic actors, the next question is clear: how will they earn, transact, and operate at scale? Join us with an ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/5ca06f6067ea21ecd91dbf61ed76d8e3078d354970c155dc900545d51587212d.jpg) [22](https://twitter.com/Stable/status/2038214009128943686)[ 16:47 • 29 Mar 2026 ](https://twitter.com/Stable/status/2038214009128943686) * **This month, we hosted a meme contest around AI agents**, inviting the community to explore what happens when agents get payment rails. [![User Avatar](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/d344e461610d7b6309b005be2d615bac67732415b1b0d1ea2555a553b9d3df0a.jpg)](https://twitter.com/stable_intern) [Stable Intern](https://twitter.com/stable_intern) [@stable\_intern](https://twitter.com/stable_intern) [](https://twitter.com/stable_intern/status/2034984233773805620) ![🚀](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f680.png)STABLE MEME CONTEST Theme: Stable AI Agent ![🤖](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f916.png) What happens when AI gets payment rails? Show us. ![🏆](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f3c6.png) 2 Winners ![💰](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f4b0.png) $50 each ($100 total) How to enter: – Follow [@stable\_intern](https://twitter.com/stable_intern) and @stable – RT this post – Tag 3 friends – Drop your meme below ![⏳](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/23f3.png) Ends in 7 days Make it ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/ffc2719d31601f805fd1960613ffd3a3ee7948808d74f65b28171639d0ccd7be.jpg) [67](https://twitter.com/stable_intern/status/2034984233773805620)[ 18:53 • 20 Mar 2026 ](https://twitter.com/stable_intern/status/2034984233773805620) * **Earlier in the month, our CEO Brian Mehler joined the On The Margin podcast**, where he shared his perspective on the rise of crypto cards and how stablecoins are reshaping global payment systems: [https://x.com/Stable/status/2029561984778379666?s=20](https://x.com/Stable/status/2029561984778379666?s=20) * **Stable also participated in a live discussion hosted by Metya**, alongside ecosystem partners, exploring the role of AI agents, capital, and the future of programmable money: [![User Avatar](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/223bb1bddc3a860185f541b50243f757b7fd965b72389564a001c23e176be699.jpg)](https://twitter.com/metyacom) [METYA](https://twitter.com/metyacom) [@metyacom](https://twitter.com/metyacom) [](https://twitter.com/metyacom/status/2034535658879164614) ![🧠](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f9e0.png) AMA (X Spaces) “AI Has Money Now. Are We Ready?” ![🗓](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f5d3.png) Mar 19 (Thu) · 12:00 UTC / 20:00 UTC+8 ![🎙](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f399.png) Host: [@metyacom](https://twitter.com/metyacom) As AI agents move from content to capital, the real question is no longer what they can do — but who controls the money, the risk, and the responsibility. ![👥](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f465.png) ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/7ccd67c183638e5c4aeaafcd8cd5694a64852a298224d45200e0e807e231a685.jpg) [136](https://twitter.com/metyacom/status/2034535658879164614)[ 13:11 • 19 Mar 2026 ](https://twitter.com/metyacom/status/2034535658879164614) * **Stable was featured by Bit2Me**, reflecting continued collaboration and expanding visibility across global crypto and fintech audiences: [https://x.com/bit2me/status/2033912304199254093?s=20](https://x.com/bit2me/status/2033912304199254093?s=20) **What’s Ahead** ---------------- Several high-impact initiatives remain in active development, focused on scaling Stable’s core capabilities for payments and agent-driven systems. * **Agentic Payment Infrastructure **Work continues on expanding support for x402-based flows, improving facilitator and settlement reliability, and enabling high-frequency, API-level payments. * **Guaranteed Blockspace **Development is underway to enable predictable execution across high-frequency payment systems, institutional transaction flows, and agent-driven applications. * **Performance Scaling **Ongoing improvements to the execution pipeline are increasing throughput and system efficiency. Stable is targeting **~7,000 TPS in Q2**, supporting high-frequency, low-value transaction environments. Together, these initiatives reinforce Stable’s role as a payment layer designed for continuous, programmatic transactions in the agentic economy. **Build on Stable** * **Documentation:** [**https://docs.stable.xyz**](https://docs.stable.xyz) * **Mainnet Hub:** [**https://hub.stable.xyz**](https://hub.stable.xyz) * **Blog:** [**https://blog.stable.xyz**](https://blog.stable.xyz) * **X:** [**@Stable**](https://x.com/Stable) * **Community:** [**https://discord.gg/stablexyz**](https://discord.gg/stablexyz) **Thank you for building with Stable. The next issue of The Stable Standard will arrive in April.** --- *Originally published on [Stable](https://blog.stable.xyz/the-stable-standard-issue-6)*