Spiral

Block

2026-09-26 16:41:22

Block integrates Bitcoin Lightning Network into x402 payment standard

Block said on Sept. 24 that it has integrated the Bitcoin Lightning Network into the x402 payment standard, adding a crypto payment flow to a protocol built around HTTP 402 payment requests. Under the setup, a server can return an HTTP 402 response, after which verification is completed with a Lightning invoice and payment preimage to unlock access to data. Steve Lee, head of Spiral, Block’s open-source Bitcoin development unit, said the integration is aimed at instant, low-cost micropayment use cases. Block has not provided a timeline for bringing the standard to Cash App, Square, or Bitkey. The related Python implementation also still needs testing with real nodes, according to the report cited by Odaily from Bitcoin.com News.

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Bitcoin Core

2026-09-08 14:16:17

Bitcoin Core developers debate whether the project is falling behind on AI use

Bitcoin Core developers used their weekly meeting last Thursday to debate whether the project is keeping pace with AI, according to a post on X by Christine D. Kim. The discussion centered on whether the team has moved too slowly both in defending against AI-driven security threats and in using AI tools for internal engineering work. Spiral lead Steve Lee said donors and community members are worried that the Core project is not doing enough on either front. In his account of the meeting, those concerns covered two issues: protection against AI-related network threats, and the use of AI to assist with code review, testing, and troubleshooting. The debate came as security incidents tied to AI were already drawing attention in the Bitcoin ecosystem. Kim said more than 5,200 Bitcoin addresses have been hacked this month, with losses above 1,800 BTC. She also wrote that hackers reportedly used Kimi K3 to discover a vulnerability in the Coldcard wallet, while the CLN client rushed to patch a critical flaw after a surge in AI-generated reports.

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