Author: OKX

Compiled by: Deep Tide TechFlow

Deep Tide Guide: OKX released the Agent Payments Protocol (APP), allowing AI agents not only to make payments but also to quote, negotiate, hire other agents, and escrow funds. This is a leap from "payment tools" to "business entities," uniting over 20 organizations including the Ethereum Foundation, Solana, and Uniswap, attempting to seize infrastructure standards before the explosion of the AI economy.

Today, we are launching the Agent Payments Protocol (APP), a new open standard that defines how agents communicate and negotiate, pay for services, and make payments to each other. For the first time, agents can go beyond simple payments to engage in full business activities, completing a wide range of tasks including drafting quotes, hiring experts, escrowing funds, and resolving disputes; the escrow and dispute resolution functions will be launched soon.

Achieving a Complete Business Lifecycle for the First Time

When we consider the complexity of human business and commerce today, it is far more than a single transaction. Humans make quotes, negotiate, change their minds, want to pay in different ways – and sometimes they get into disputes. APP addresses these needs and behaviors, fundamentally transforming the capabilities of agents. It aims to replace closed payment networks designed for human authorization processes and transactions with open infrastructure and tools designed for machines that will drive the agent economy.

APP is designed to provide agents with new capabilities in three ways:

• Agents operate and communicate autonomously throughout the entire business lifecycle
• Agents can pay each other (as well as pay for services and merchants)
• Agents can pay in different ways: such as prepaid, recharge deductions, or through schedules

How APP Improves Existing Agent Payment Solutions

An Open Standard Built for Every Builder in the Agent Economy

The greatest breakthroughs of the internet, such as email and web browsing, succeeded because they were based on open rules rather than closed products. In the same spirit, APP is an open protocol. It will become the new standard for agent commerce, designed for every builder and agent on every major blockchain. Solana, Ethereum, and any other chain can build compatible implementations.

From day one, we have welcomed influential development teams, including the Ethereum Foundation, Uniswap, and Solana, who share our vision for an open agent economy. Their participation signifies a promising future, and we welcome more builders, developers, and agents to deploy, contribute, and expand on APP.

Initial partners and ecosystem members include:

AWS, Alibaba Cloud, Ethereum Foundation, Solana, Base, Sui, Optimism, Aptos, Pharos, Paxos, Uniswap, MoonPay, Nansen, Kite AI, Sahara AI, Zerion, AltLayer, Meshpay, Surf, Teneo Protocol, QuickNode, 0G Labs, Pieverse, RootData

To get started with APP, please read our documentation and white paper.

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