- Data completeness
- 100%
- Confidence
- 93%
- Sources
- 4
- Last reviewed
- 7 Jun 2025
The take
What to know
Sponge is a San Francisco-based Y Combinator (W26) startup founded by ex-Stripe engineers. It provides financial infrastructure for AI agents via Sponge Wallet and Sponge Gateway, enabling agents to hold and spend money while letting businesses monetize API traffic. Operating across Tempo, Ethereum, Base, and Solana, the platform supports x402 and MPP, alongside fiat rails powered by Bridge.
Best for
- +AI agents requiring autonomous fund management via Sponge Wallet
- +Businesses monetizing API traffic via x402 or MPP endpoints with Sponge Gateway
- +Developers testing agent payment flows across Tempo, Base, Solana, or Ethereum
Watch out
- Fiat bank account rails require KYC via Bridge
- Sponge is an early-stage company currently scaling its infrastructure
- Tempo utilizes USD-denominated TIP-20 stablecoins for gas; it has no native token and there is no airdrop
The record
Key facts
- Products
- Sponge Wallet for AI agent accounts and Sponge Gateway for businesses to sell directly to agents.· 95%
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, California.· 93%
- Company Status
- Founded in 2026 and participated in the Y Combinator Winter 2026 batch.· 95%
- Founders
- Jae Choi, Eric Zhang, and Rishab Luthra (former Stripe engineers).· 95%
- Supported Networks
- Ethereum, Base, Tempo, and Solana.· 90%
- Payment Protocols
- Supports the x402 protocol and Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) for paid HTTP requests.· 91%
The timeline
History
2026-02
Y Combinator Launch
Sponge launched its Wallet and Gateway products as part of the YC Winter 2026 batch to provide financial infrastructure for the agent economy.
2026-06
Tempo Ecosystem Integration
Observed listed as a Wallets and Infrastructure partner on Tempo, supporting stable-value agent funding flows.
Questions
FAQ
- What products does Sponge offer?
- Sponge offers Sponge Wallet for AI agent accounts to hold and spend money, and Sponge Gateway for businesses to sell directly to agents.
- How does Sponge integrate with Tempo?
- Sponge is a Wallets and Infrastructure partner in the Tempo ecosystem, supporting the Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) and stable-value agent funding transfers on the Tempo network.
- Which networks and payment protocols does Sponge support?
- Sponge supports Ethereum, Base, Tempo, and Solana. For payments, it utilizes the x402 protocol and MPP for paid agent requests, along with fiat rails via Bridge.
The graph