The x402 Idea Lab Challenge: Win 500 dFLORA
Join the first Sprout Idea Lab of 2026 and build ideas using x402 — Coinbase’s protocol for per-action crypto payments.
We’re excited to introduce the first Sprout Idea Lab challenge of 2026.
This week's focus: x402, an open payment protocol from Coinbase that lets software pay for things directly over the internet. Instead of accounts, subscriptions, or checkout flows, a service charges a small amount for a single action — like an API request or feature unlock. The payment happens in the background using crypto (typically stablecoins like USDC), and the software keeps running.
This Idea Lab Challenge is about building ideas around that concept.
What we're looking for
Ideas for apps or tools you could build that use x402 payments. For example:
- An AI agent that pays for premium data sources while researching a topic
- A tool that pays for each API call as it runs
- An image generator that charges per creation instead of requiring a subscription
- A service or product that unlocks premium features on-demand when users need them
Think about where automatic, per-request payments could remove friction or unlock new possibilities.
How to participate in the x402 challenge
- Have the 🌹Bud role (300 XP)
- Head to #🔬┃idea-lab in Discord
- Use the /idea command to submit your concept
- Challenge runs Jan 9 - Jan 15
Submissions close Thursday, Jan 15 at midnight EST / Friday, Jan 16 at 5:00 AM UTC
Prizes
- 1st Place: 500 dFLORA (≈ 25 days of faucet)
- 2nd Place: 250 dFLORA (≈ 12.5 days of faucet)
- 3rd Place: 100 dFLORA (≈ 5 days of faucet)
The challenge is live now. Join the Discord and drop your idea!