The growing number of "x402" documents

A fairly large number of documents have been posted recently that
describe enhancements to, or details of, a set of specifications
developed under the auspices of the "x402 Foundation".   As of a few
minutes before this note was written, the datatracker reports nine
such drafts and the number seems to be on the increase.   The x402
Foundation describes x402 as "the open payment standard" [1] for  the
Internet and claims that it is widely deployed and used [2].

Can we, before seeing yet more documents that appear to be a function
of X402 Foundation work, get a good summary of what is going on and,
in particular, have a DISPATCH-like discussion of why (and whether)
this work belongs in the IETF at all given (i) that x402 Foundation
has published and, from their web pages, is continuing to publish,
standards in this area; (ii) the IETF rarely takes up standards that
have been approved and published elsewhere, especially mature and
deployed ones that might raise change control or authority questions;
and (iii) the work seems to be dependent on a particular payment
method -- stablecoin -- for which, AFAIK, the IETF has no
specifications either.

Authors, I'm not against this -- I have no opinion at all-- but would
like to avoid wasting a lot of everyone's time on what appear to be
rather detailed specs unless the IETF wants to take this work on.  I
also think we should avoid even the possibility of an appearance that
publication of Internet-Drafts implies IETF endorsement of the work.
I assume the latter is not your intent, but none of us can control
the behavior of others.

thanks,
   john

p.s. writing in personal capacity only, not that I have any other
formal capacity that might be relevant to this.


[1] https://docs.x402.org/introduction
[2] As of today, that web site claims it was used in 75.41 million
transactions in the last 30 days, by 22,000 sellers, etc.