Cloudflare launches stablecoin and email services to challenge the market positions of USDC and SendGrid.

On September 26, U.S. time, global network infrastructure giant Cloudflare (NYSE: NET) launched two strategic services simultaneously: the USD stablecoin NET Dollar and a cloud-based email sending solution. This move marks the company's transition from a traditional "network guardian" to a "network finance and communication architect," aiming to establish the payment and communication infrastructure for the upcoming AI agent economy. CEO Matthew Prince stated that NET Dollar will serve as a universal value unit for AI-driven networks, while the email service targets the reliability pain points of transaction emails in the "last mile."

Strategic Layout: Cross-Border Upgrade from Network Acceleration to Value Transmission

The two services released by Cloudflare seem to belong to different fields, but they actually revolve around the same core strategy: paving the way for large-scale applications of AI agents. The company extends its expertise in "traffic acceleration" to the realms of "financial flow" and "information flow" through its edge node network in over 330 cities worldwide. This transformation coincides with a critical time point as generative AI is about to be fully commercialized, and the demand for micro-payments and reliable communication from various AI agents is rapidly increasing.

The cybersecurity analyst pointed out: "Cloudflare's layout is forward-looking. When AI agents can autonomously conduct transactions and communicate, the reliability and latency of the underlying infrastructure will directly determine the user experience. The company is building a complete value transfer ecosystem."

NET Dollar: Aiming for Precise Entry into the AI Economic Micro-Trading Market

NET Dollar is backed by a 1:1 USD reserve and is specifically designed for microtransaction scenarios in AI-driven networks. Matthew Prince emphasized at the launch that the next generation of internet business models will be driven by tools such as "pay-per-use," "revenue sharing payments," and "microtransactions." From personal assistant programs automatically booking restaurants to corporate intelligent systems making instant payments based on delivery information, there is a need for payment tools that operate with low fees, settle in seconds, and can work across time zones.

Technically, Cloudflare participated in the development of the "Agent Payment Communication Protocol" and the x402 protocol. The x402 protocol extends the HTTP "402 Payment Required" status code into a standard that can carry payment instructions, and this innovation is expected to unify the online payment interface. Through the x402 foundation established in collaboration with mainstream CEXs, Cloudflare aims to avoid standard fragmentation and build a unified payment ecosystem.

Email Service: A Key Component in Solving AI Communication Reliability

In the user experience chain, transaction emails are often regarded as the "last mile": password resets that are not properly executed and purchase receipts landing in the spam folder can lead to immediate customer loss. Cloudflare's email service automatically writes SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records by default, reducing the verification burden on engineering teams. Emails are routed through the company's global network, providing a natural advantage in terms of inbox arrival time and delivery success rates.

Tech commentator Levelsio commented: "This service is very practical because every email service currently used for sending messages from websites will eventually be acquired by private equity or go public, and then the quality of service will decline." Cloudflare extends its security and edge layout to the email layer, which adds a solid insurance for AI-driven services.

Dual Challenges of Regulatory Hurdles and Market Competition

NET Dollar must pass the high thresholds of stablecoin regulations such as the U.S. GENIUS Act and the EU MiCA before it can officially circulate, and it still needs to wait for the final approval of the new U.S. stablecoin regulations. In the face of fierce competition from existing dollar stablecoin providers and blockchain public chains, Cloudflare needs to rely on network effects and API convenience to persuade developers to migrate their payment logic.

In terms of email services, Cloudflare will directly face the price war of traditional cloud email APIs. However, its core advantage lies in its ability to bundle the advantages of edge nodes, the existing developer community, and open standards together. If it can successfully execute this strategy, the company is expected to reap network effects in the microtransactions and notifications market.

For developers, it is currently recommended to pay attention to updates in the official Cloudflare documentation and assess the cost-benefit ratio of migrating existing payment and email services to the new platform. At the same time, close attention should be paid to the progress of regulatory approvals, as this will be a key factor in whether NET Dollar can circulate smoothly.

Conclusion

Cloudflare's dual-line attack this time demonstrates its ambition to transform from a basic infrastructure provider to a value transmission platform. On the eve of the explosion of the AI agent economy, payment and communication, as the most critical infrastructure links, are迎来 a new wave of innovation. The combination of NET Dollar and email services may redefine the delivery of future network services.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute any investment advice. The cryptocurrency market is highly volatile, and investors should make decisions with caution.