Monetization Gateway. Cryptocurrencies have a reputation as purely speculative assets. However, they are also used to settle payments in stablecoins on networks like Ethereum. Cloudflare has just added this component to its offering with the launch of Monetization Gateway, a gateway that allows content creators to be paid directly in cryptocurrencies.
Key Points
Cloudflare launches Monetization Gateway to monetize access to MCP web pages, APIs, data and tools. Payments are made in stablecoins on the Ethereum network, via the open x402 protocol. A waiting list is open to developers wishing to test the functionality. Contrary to the logic of DeFi, Cloudflare remains at the center of the payment system.
Cloudflare opens its pipes to crypto payments
Cloudflare provides infrastructure services for the Internet: content delivery network (CDN), security tools, performance optimization for websites. A position at the crossroads of global traffic that the company now intends to monetize differently. In 2022, the company announced its desire to operate nœuds Ethereum (ETH) on its proof of stake version. Monetization Gateway allows its users to charge directly for access to their web pages, datasets, APIs or MCP (Model Context Protocol, the standard that connects artificial intelligence models to external data sources) tools. Payments pass through stablecoins on the Ethereum network, via the open x402 protocol.
“Today we are excited to announce Monetization Gateway, a new solution that allows developers to place any web page, dataset, API, or MCP tool behind Cloudflare and charge directly for access or usage. »
Cloudflare
Monetization Gateway: an open waiting list
The principle is simple: the creator sets a price for access to his dataAPI or web pages, and the service takes care of the rest using the x402 protocol. The announcement is accompanied by opening a waiting list for developers who want to test the feature. Cloudflare sees this as “a paradigm shift in how developers think about monetization.”
“Whether you’re an API provider, content creator, or app developer, Monetization Gateway lets you set a price for access to your data, API, or web pages, and we take care of the rest. »
Cloudflare
The company aims to “transform the Internet into a marketplace where developers can monetize their work and where users can access the services they need, all without intermediaries.” An objective that matches the philosophy of DeFi, with one important nuance: in the Cloudflare model, the intermediary is Cloudflare.