PRIVATE X402 GOES LIVE ON AZTEC TESTNET

Summary from the TLDR Crypto newsletter

Galactica, an Aztec Network grantee, has deployed private x402 on Aztec testnet, wrapping the standard agent-payment protocol in zk-shielded stablecoin transfers that conceal sender, receiver, and amount while preserving the original 402 challenge/settlement flow. On transparent ledgers, x402 transactions expose counterparties, prices, and consumption patterns. Private x402 settles on Aztec's ZK rollup, providing Ethereum-anchored finality without that on-chain exposure. Compliance is handled at the perimeter, with KYC verification occurring once and carried forward as zero-knowledge attestations, eliminating repeated personal data disclosure. The spec, open-source repo (Apache 2.0), and a Claude Code plugin are live today on Aztec 5.0.1, with all testnet fees sponsored by Aztec.