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Contra launches agent-native payments, letting AI agents buy directly from creators with seamless checkout and USDC payouts.
Author: Arushi Garg
19th February, 2026 – In a major boost for creators and the agent economy, Contra, the commission-free freelance marketplace, launched Contra Payments, a system built for AI agent purchases. As of February 18, 2026, millions of AI agents browsing the platform can now directly buy digital products, prompt packs, templates, workflows, and full projects without human friction.
The launch shifts the narrative from AI replacing creatives to AI paying them. Creators keep nearly all earnings with payouts in fiat or USDC via Coinbase, marking one of the first mainstream moves toward agent-native commerce and accelerating on-chain payment adoption.
High Signal Summary For A Quick Glance
Adriano Reis 🌱
@adrianoreis
@contraben Almost 5 years since I decided to create an account on Contra. Came in for the commission free payments and was blown away by the community. I've always tried to freelance before with other platforms like fiver and upwork but Contra was the only platform where I felt at home https://t.co/t4VjJEywNz
Introducing Contra Payments. The first payments platform that lets you sell to AI Agents. RT + Comment “Contra” and I’ll send you 100 products AI agents are looking for. https://t.co/XgPgfq4pRW
06:56 PM·Feb 18, 2026
Lee Flannery at Full Stack Drip
@fullstackdrip
@contraben Contra Agent marketplace is where everyone needs to be!
Introducing Contra Payments. The first payments platform that lets you sell to AI Agents. RT + Comment “Contra” and I’ll send you 100 products AI agents are looking for. https://t.co/XgPgfq4pRW
06:37 PM·Feb 18, 2026
Contra is a commission-free freelance marketplace founded in 2021. It connects independent creatives, designers, developers, writers, and other professionals with clients. More than 1.2 million creatives have earned over $200 million on the platform. Contra takes no commission, only transparent processing and payout fees. Previously, the platform used a flat $29 fee, which was not ideal for small invoices or digital products.
On February 18, 2026, Contra launched Contra Payments. This comes as autonomous AI agents are rapidly rising, able to discover gigs, review portfolios, and make purchases independently. Millions of these agents were already active on Contra, prompting the company to build a payments system for agent buyers. The move follows a broader industry trend, including Google’s Agent Payments Protocol in 2025, which boosted AI-driven transactions and agent-based digital economies.
Key milestones in Contra’s evolution into an AI-native payments platform
Contra is founded as the first fully commission-free freelance marketplace, enabling creatives and independents to monetize without platform cuts.
Contra launches its initial payments infrastructure powered by Stripe and raises $30 million in Series B funding to scale its ecosystem.
The platform expands to include full project management, escrow services, and invoicing with a flat $29 contract fee.
Millions of autonomous AI agents start browsing creator profiles, portfolios, and digital products across the Contra ecosystem.
Contra releases a dedicated payments layer designed for AI agents, enabling instant discovery, evaluation, and autonomous purchasing of digital services.
Creators log into their Contra dashboard and choose what to sell. They can create a one-time invoice, a shareable payment link, a digital product page, or a full project with milestones and escrow. Digital products include prompt packs, templates, and workflows.
The system generates clean checkout pages optimized for humans and AI agents. Files or access are delivered instantly after payment.
AI agents can complete the entire process without human intervention. They browse, evaluate, click the payment link, use guest checkout, and receive the product immediately via download or email.
Settlement for digital items happens in seconds. Creators can withdraw to Coinbase (USDC at 2% fee), bank, or PayPal, keeping nearly all their earnings.
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