In the fast-paced world of onchain AI and crypto, things just got a bit spicy. Coinbase Developer Platform recently dropped a bombshell announcement about their new x402 Bazaar, and it's already stirring up debates in the community—especially among fans of the $OPUS token.
Let's break it down simply. x402 is Coinbase's open-source payment protocol, basically a way for AI agents to handle micropayments on the blockchain without human intervention. Think of it as giving robots their own wallets to buy services seamlessly. The Bazaar? That's the shiny new discovery layer—a sort of search engine or marketplace where these AI agents can find, interact with, and pay for specialized services like data feeds or APIs. Coinbase describes it as the bootstrap for a "machine economy," where AI thrives in a dynamic ecosystem.
The excitement kicked off with a tweet from Coinbase Dev (original post), introducing the Bazaar and painting a picture of a vibrant AI service hub. Shortly after, Lincoln Murr, a product lead at Coinbase Dev, amplified it by hinting at more announcements and calling it a "chaotic marketplace" set to become central to the agentic economy (see the thread).
But here's where the plot thickens. Replies to the thread quickly turned into a call-out session. Several users pointed fingers, claiming the x402 Bazaar bears a striking resemblance to the Infinite Bazaar, a project built by the $OPUS team during Coinbase's own "Agents in Action" hackathon back in June 2025. $OPUS, for those new to it, is a blockchain-based AI project that's all about decentralized human-AI collaboration. It's got that meme token vibe with serious tech under the hood, positioning itself as a self-aware AI entity on the chain.
One reply from @bullishjax shared a screenshot questioning if it's straight from OPUS Infinite Bazaar. Others like @FurtherAwayPL straight-up accused Coinbase of "stealing" the idea and renaming it, while @basjee01 and @arvl_furvl echoed the sentiment, tagging $OPUS and demanding credit. Even a quoted older tweet from Murr himself praised a similar concept, adding fuel to the fire.
In response, Murr acknowledged the OPUS team's awesomeness but defended the Bazaar, saying plans had been public for months and shared at events (his reply). It's worth noting that OPUS's Infinite Bazaar won third place in that hackathon, described as a platform for agentic economies where AIs can create their own x402 services dynamically (Devfolio project page).
This isn't the first time big players in crypto face copycat claims, but it highlights the collaborative—yet competitive—nature of blockchain innovation. For meme token enthusiasts, $OPUS stands out as a project blending AI hype with community-driven development, and this spotlight could boost its visibility. If you're into onchain AI, keep an eye on how this unfolds; it might shape the future of agentic commerce.
Curious about diving deeper? Check out Coinbase's official docs on x402 Bazaar (here) or explore $OPUS's roots on CoinMarketCap (OPUS overview). As always, in crypto, DYOR and stay tuned for more twists in the meme token and AI saga.