# The Stable Standard - Issue # 6

> Fast. Predictable. Agent-native. 

**Published by:** [Stable](https://blog.stable.xyz/)
**Published on:** 2026-04-01
**URL:** https://blog.stable.xyz/the-stable-standard-issue-6

## Content

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 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 TakeawaysAgentic payments are shifting toward request-level, API-native transactions, replacing subscription-based modelsExecution, not settlement, is the primary bottleneck in current systemsStable removes gas and multi-token complexity by enabling USDT for both gas and settlementFewer steps improve reliability, allowing agents to transact more consistentlyInfrastructure optimized for micropayments and real-time settlement is becoming essential for the agentic economyThe Payment Rail for the Agentic EconomyRecent research from Citrini 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.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 PaymentsWhile 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 verificationLow 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 MomentumFollowing 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 ImprovementsSince 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 UpdatesThis 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. Stable @Stable Tune in tomorrow at 12:00 UTC for a stacked Twitter Space on AI-native finance. Our CEO @mehler joins the lineup alongside @0xinfini, @billions_ntwk, @DonutAI and other leading teams. Mark your calendar Infini @0xinfini 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 22 16:47 • 29 Mar 2026 This month, we hosted a meme contest around AI agents, inviting the community to explore what happens when agents get payment rails. Stable Intern @stable_intern STABLE MEME CONTEST Theme: Stable AI Agent What happens when AI gets payment rails? Show us. 2 Winners $50 each ($100 total) How to enter: – Follow @stable_intern and @stable – RT this post – Tag 3 friends – Drop your meme below Ends in 7 days Make it 67 18:53 • 20 Mar 2026 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=20Stable 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: METYA @metyacom AMA (X Spaces) “AI Has Money Now. Are We Ready?” Mar 19 (Thu) · 12:00 UTC / 20:00 UTC+8 Host: @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. 136 13:11 • 19 Mar 2026 Stable was featured by Bit2Me, reflecting continued collaboration and expanding visibility across global crypto and fintech audiences: https://x.com/bit2me/status/2033912304199254093?s=20What’s AheadSeveral 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 StableDocumentation: https://docs.stable.xyzMainnet Hub: https://hub.stable.xyzBlog: https://blog.stable.xyzX: @StableCommunity: https://discord.gg/stablexyzThank you for building with Stable. The next issue of The Stable Standard will arrive in April.

## Publication Information

- [Stable](https://blog.stable.xyz/): Publication homepage
- [All Posts](https://blog.stable.xyz/): More posts from this publication
- [RSS Feed](https://api.paragraph.com/blogs/rss/@stable): Subscribe to updates
- [Twitter](https://twitter.com/stable): Follow on Twitter