## File: README.md # x402 [](http://slack.x402.org/) x402 is an open standard for internet native payments. It aims to support all networks (both crypto & fiat) and forms of value (stablecoins, tokens, fiat). ```typescript app.use( paymentMiddleware( { "GET /weather": { accepts: [...], // As many networks / schemes as you want to support }, }, ), ); // That's it! See examples/ for full details ``` ## Installation **Typescript** > See all the packages available in the [**Typescript SDK**](./typescript/), including chain implementations of x402, code examples and integration guides. ```shell # All available reference sdks npm install @x402/core \ @x402/evm @x402/svm @x402/avm @x402/aptos @x402/stellar @x402/tvm @x402/hedera @x402/keeta \ @x402/axios @x402/fastify @x402/fetch @x402/express @x402/hono @x402/next @x402/paywall @x402/extensions @x402/mcp ``` ```shell # Minimal Fetch client npm install @x402/core @x402/evm @x402/svm @x402/fetch ``` ```shell # Minimal express Server npm install @x402/core @x402/evm @x402/svm @x402/express ``` **Python** > See the [**`python/x402`**](./python/) folder for code examples and integration guides. ```shell pip install x402 ``` **Go** > See the [**`go/`**](./go/) folder for code examples and integration guides. ```shell go get github.com/x402-foundation/x402/go/v2 ``` ## Principles - **Open standard:** x402 is an open standard, freely accessible and usable by anyone. It will never force reliance on a single party. - **HTTP / Transport Native:** x402 is meant to seamlessly complement existing data transportation. It should whenever possible not mandate additional requests outside the scope of a typical client / server flow. - **Network, token, and currency agnostic:** we welcome contributions that add support for new networks (both crypto and fiat), signing standards, or schemes, so long as they meet our acceptance criteria laid out in [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/x402-foundation/x402/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md). x402 may extend support to fiat based networks, but will never deprioritize onchain payments in favor of fiat payments. - **Backwards Compatible:** x402 will not deprecate support for any existing networks unless such removal is deemed necessary for the security of the standard. Whenever possible, x402 will aim for backwards compatibility for non-major version changes. - **Trust minimizing:** all payment schemes must not allow for the facilitator or resource server to move funds, other than in accordance with client intentions - **Easy to use:** It is the goal of the x402 community to improve ease of use relative to other forms of payment on the Internet. This means abstracting as many details of crypto as possible away from the client and resource server, and into the facilitator. This means the client/server should not need to think about gas, rpc, etc. ## Ecosystem **Community:** join the [x402 Slack](http://slack.x402.org/) to ask questions, discuss ideas, and share what you're building. Curated third-party SDKs, extensions, and facilitators are listed in the [Developer Tools docs](https://docs.x402.org/dev-tools/overview). For broader discovery of x402 services and integrations, see community-maintained directories such as [x402scan.com](https://x402scan.com), [Agentic.Market](https://agentic.market), [Pay.sh](https://pay.sh), [app.ampersend.ai/discover](https://app.ampersend.ai/discover), and [x402-list.com](https://x402-list.com). **Roadmap:** see [ROADMAP.md](https://github.com/x402-foundation/x402/blob/main/ROADMAP.md) **Documentation:** see [`docs/`](./docs/) for the published documentation source (Mintlify). Payment **schemes** include **`exact`**, **`upto`**, and **`batch-settlement`**; specifications live under [`specs/schemes/`](./specs/schemes/). ## Choosing a Production Path For testnet development and quickstarts, the public x402 facilitator is the easiest way to get started. For production mainnet routes, decide on your facilitator model explicitly: - use a production facilitator provider that supports your target network, - run your own facilitator, - or [self-facilitate](./examples/typescript/servers/self-facilitation/README.md) inside your resource server. Do not assume the public x402.org facilitator is the default production path for mainnet EVM routes. See the [Facilitator docs](https://docs.x402.org/core-concepts/facilitator), [Facilitators directory](https://docs.x402.org/dev-tools/facilitators), and [Networks & Token Support](https://docs.x402.org/core-concepts/network-and-token-support) for operator guidance. ## Terms: - `resource`: Something on the internet. This could be a webpage, file server, RPC service, API, any resource on the internet that accepts HTTP / HTTPS requests. - `client`: An entity wanting to pay for a resource. - `facilitator`: A server that facilitates verification and execution of payments for one or many networks. - `resource server`: An HTTP server that provides an API or other resource for a client. ## Technical Goals: - Permissionless and secure for clients, servers, and facilitators - Minimal friction to adopt for both client and resource servers - Minimal integration for the resource server and client (1 line for the server, 1 function for the client) - Ability to trade off speed of response for guarantee of payment - Extensible to different payment flows and networks ## Specification See `specs/` for full documentation of the x402 standard/ ### Typical x402 flow x402 payments typically adhere to the following flow, but servers have a lot of flexibility. See `advanced` folders in `examples/`. The following outlines the flow of a payment using the `x402` protocol. Note that steps (1) and (2) are optional if the client already knows the payment details accepted for a resource. 1. `Client` makes an HTTP request to a `resource server`. 2. `Resource server` responds with a `402 Payment Required` status and a `PaymentRequired` b64 object return as a `PAYMENT-REQUIRED` header. 3. `Client` selects one of the `PaymentRequirements` returned by the server response and creates a `PaymentPayload` based on the `scheme` & `network` of the `PaymentRequirements` they have selected. 4. `Client` sends the HTTP request with the `PAYMENT-SIGNATURE` header containing the `PaymentPayload` to the resource server. 5. `Resource server` verifies the `PaymentPayload` is valid either via local verification or by POSTing the `PaymentPayload` and `PaymentRequirements` to the `/verify` endpoint of a `facilitator`. 6. `Facilitator` performs verification of the object based on the `scheme` and `network` of the `PaymentPayload` and returns a `Verification Response`. 7. If the `Verification Response` is valid, the resource server performs the work to fulfill the request. If the `Verification Response` is invalid, the resource server returns a `402 Payment Required` status and a `Payment Required Response` JSON object in the response body. 8. `Resource server` either settles the payment by interacting with a blockchain directly, or by POSTing the `Payment Payload` and `Payment PaymentRequirements` to the `/settle` endpoint of a `facilitator server`. 9. `Facilitator server` submits the payment to the blockchain based on the `scheme` and `network` of the `Payment Payload`. 10. `Facilitator server` waits for the payment to be confirmed on the blockchain. 11. `Facilitator server` returns a `Payment Execution Response` to the resource server. 12. `Resource server` returns a `200 OK` response to the `Client` with the resource they requested as the body of the HTTP response, and a `PAYMENT-RESPONSE` header containing the `Settlement Response` as Base64 encoded JSON if the payment was executed successfully. ### Schemes A scheme is a logical way of moving money. Blockchains allow for a large number of flexible ways to move money. To help facilitate an expanding number of payment use cases, the `x402` protocol is extensible to different ways of settling payments via its `scheme` field. Each payment scheme may have different operational functionality depending on what actions are necessary to fulfill the payment. For example, **`exact`** transfers a specific amount (for example, pay $1 to read an article). **`upto`** authorizes up to a maximum per request; the seller settles the actual usage, up to that cap. **`batch-settlement`** (EVM) uses escrow and off-chain vouchers so sellers can redeem many small charges onchain in batches instead of settling every HTTP request separately. See `specs/schemes` for full scheme specifications; `specs/schemes/exact/scheme_exact_evm.md` describes **exact** payments on EVM chains. ### Schemes vs Networks Because a scheme is a logical way of moving money, the way a scheme is implemented can be different for different blockchains. (ex: the way you need to implement `exact` on Ethereum is very different from the way you need to implement `exact` on Solana). Clients and facilitators must explicitly support different `(scheme, network)` pairs in order to be able to create proper payloads and verify / settle payments. --- ## File: docs/introduction.md --- title: "Welcome to x402" This guide will help you understand x402, the open payment standard, and help you get started building or integrating services with x402. --- x402 is the open payment standard that enables services to charge for access to their APIs and content directly over HTTP. It is built around the HTTP `402 Payment Required` status code and allows clients to programmatically pay for resources without accounts, sessions, or credential management. With x402, any web service can require payment before serving a response, using crypto-native payments for speed, privacy, and efficiency. **Want to contribute to our docs?** [The documentation source in this repository is open to PRs.](https://github.com/x402-foundation/x402) Our only ask is that you keep these docs as a neutral resource, with no branded content other than linking out to other resources where appropriate. **Note about the docs:** These docs are the credibly neutral source of truth for x402, as x402 is a completely open standard under the Apache-2.0 license. ### Why Use x402? x402 offers: - **No fees and minimal friction** x402 as a standard has 0 fees built in. - **Native support for machine-to-machine payments**, enabling seamless use by AI agents - **Built-in micropayment support**, making it easy to monetize usage-based services (including **[batch settlement](/schemes/batch-settlement)** on EVM for high-volume, batched **onchain** redemption) ### Who is x402 for? - **Sellers:** Service providers who want to monetize their APIs or content. x402 enables direct, programmatic payments from clients with minimal setup. - **Buyers:** Human developers and AI agents seeking to access paid services without accounts or manual payment flows. Both sellers and buyers interact directly through HTTP requests, with payment handled transparently through the protocol. ### What Can You Build? x402 enables a range of use cases, including: - API services paid per request - AI agents that autonomously pay for API access - [Paywalls](https://x.com/MurrLincoln/status/1935406976881803601) for digital content - Microservices and tooling monetized via microtransactions - Proxy services that aggregate and resell API capabilities ### How Does It Work? At a high level, the flow is simple: 1. A buyer requests a resource from a server. 2. If payment is required, the server responds with `402 Payment Required`, including payment instructions. 3. The buyer prepares and submits a payment payload. 4. The server verifies and settles the payment independently, or by leveraging an x402 facilitator's /verify and /settle endpoints. 5. If payment is valid, the server provides the requested resource. For more detail, see: - [Client / Server](/core-concepts/client-server) - [Facilitator](/core-concepts/facilitator) - [HTTP 402](/core-concepts/http-402) - [Batch settlement](/schemes/batch-settlement) The goal is to make programmatic commerce accessible, permissionless, and developer-friendly. ### Get Started Ready to build? Start here: - [Quickstart for Sellers](/getting-started/quickstart-for-sellers) - [Quickstart for Buyers](/getting-started/quickstart-for-buyers) - [Explore Core Concepts](/core-concepts/http-402) - [Batch settlement](/schemes/batch-settlement) (EVM micropayments / batched redemption) - [Join our community on Slack](http://slack.x402.org/)