x402: The Agentic Economy
Agntor handles the 402 Payment Required handshake automatically, enabling your agents to make verified payments without human intervention.
How It Works
Request
Your agent hits a paid API endpoint.
Challenge
The server returns an x402 header with payment requirements.
Audit
Agntor checks if the transaction fits the agent’s Spend Policy.
Settlement
If safe, Agntor signs the attestation and releases the payment.
Setting a Spend Policy
Define spending limits and restrictions for your agent:
import { AgntorClient } from '@agntor/sdk';
const agntor = new AgntorClient({
apiKey: process.env.AGNTOR_API_KEY
});
await agntor.payments.setPolicy({
// Daily spending limit
dailyLimit: "0.01 ETH",
// Approved domains for payments
allowedDomains: [
"*.cloud-compute.com",
"api.search.com",
"storage.provider.io"
],
// Human approval threshold
requireHumanApprovalAbove: "0.05 ETH",
// Per-transaction limit
maxTransactionAmount: "0.005 ETH"
});
Payment Flow Example
import { AgntorShield } from '@agntor/core';
const shield = new AgntorShield({
identity: 'eip8004:0x...',
policy: 'enterprise-standard',
maxSpend: '0.05_ETH_x402'
});
// Agent makes a request to a paid API
const result = await shield.execute(async (ctx) => {
// Agntor automatically handles x402 negotiation
const response = await fetch('https://api.compute-provider.com/gpu', {
headers: {
'X-Agntor-Identity': ctx.identity
}
});
return response.json();
});
Payment Events
Monitor all payment activity:
agntor.payments.on('transaction', (event) => {
console.log(`Amount: ${event.amount}`);
console.log(`Recipient: ${event.recipient}`);
console.log(`Status: ${event.status}`);
console.log(`Attestation: ${event.attestationTx}`);
});
agntor.payments.on('blocked', (event) => {
console.warn(`Payment blocked: ${event.reason}`);
// Reasons: EXCEEDS_LIMIT, DOMAIN_NOT_ALLOWED, REQUIRES_APPROVAL
});
Security Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|
| Escrow | Funds held in smart contract until service delivery confirmed |
| Attestation | Every payment linked to on-chain identity |
| Rate Limiting | Automatic throttling to prevent runaway spending |
| Audit Trail | Complete transaction history for compliance |
Always set appropriate spending limits. Agents without limits may drain funds if compromised.
Next Steps
