Autonomous Payments
Alfred402's core feature is autonomous payment processing using the x402 protocol. This page explains how the system automatically handles payments on your behalf.
Overview
Autonomous payments allow Alfred402 to:
Detect when a service requires payment (HTTP 402)
Process blockchain transactions automatically
Complete payments without manual approval
Stay within your configured spending limits
How It Works
1. Payment Detection
When you request access to a paid service, the flow works like this:
You: "Get me weather data from WeatherAPI"
↓
Alfred402 makes HTTP request to service
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Service returns: HTTP 402 Payment Required
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Alfred402 reads x402 payment details2. Limit Verification
Before processing any payment, Alfred402 checks:
Daily Spending Limit: Have you exceeded today's limit?
Weekly Spending Limit: Have you exceeded this week's limit?
Monthly Spending Limit: Have you exceeded this month's limit?
Single Transaction Limit: Is this payment within acceptable range?
If any limit would be exceeded, the payment is rejected and you're notified.
3. Automatic Processing
If limits check out:
4. Service Access
Once payment is confirmed:
Total time: ~3-5 seconds from request to delivery!
Payment Types Supported
Native Token Payments
Pay with the blockchain's native currency:
Ethereum: ETH
Solana: SOL
Polygon: MATIC
Base: ETH
ERC20 Token Payments
Pay with standard tokens:
USDC, USDT, DAI
Custom x402 tokens
Service-specific tokens
Multi-Chain Support
Alfred402 is blockchain agnostic:
Automatically detects required chain
Uses appropriate wallet connection
Handles gas fees correctly per chain
Payment Flow Example
Here's a real-world example:
Security Features
Spending Limits
You maintain full control with configurable limits:
Transaction Transparency
Every payment is:
✅ Recorded on-chain (publicly verifiable)
✅ Displayed with transaction hash
✅ Includes service details
✅ Shows exact costs
Non-Custodial
You control your private keys
Alfred402 never holds your funds
All transactions signed by your wallet
Revoke access anytime
Payment States
Payments go through these states:
Pending - Transaction submitted to blockchain
Confirming - Waiting for block confirmation
Completed - Payment confirmed, service accessed
Failed - Transaction reverted or rejected
Refunded - Service failed to deliver, funds returned
Gas Fees
What Are Gas Fees?
Gas fees are transaction costs paid to blockchain validators:
Variable based on network congestion
Typically $0.01 - $1.00
Added to service payment cost
Gas Optimization
Alfred402 optimizes gas usage:
Estimates fees before transaction
Uses efficient transaction types
Batches multiple payments when possible
Alerts if fees are unusually high
Handling Payment Failures
If a payment fails:
Service Unavailable
Insufficient Funds
Limit Exceeded
Transaction Reverted
Payment History
View all your transactions:
Click any transaction to see:
Full transaction hash
Block explorer link
Service details
Timestamp
Gas fees
Best Practices
Start Conservative
Begin with low limits while learning:
Monitor Spending
Check your dashboard daily:
Review transaction history
Verify service charges
Adjust limits as needed
Verify Services
Before using a new service:
Check if it's verified in x402 Registry
Read reviews from other users
Test with small payments first
Keep Wallet Funded
Maintain sufficient balance:
Service payment amount
Gas fees (buffer ~20%)
Emergency reserve
Review Transaction Hashes
Always verify payments on block explorer:
Confirms transaction was successful
Shows actual cost (including gas)
Provides permanent record
Advanced Features
Scheduled Payments
Coming soon:
Set up recurring service payments
Auto-renew subscriptions
Batch process multiple services
Multi-Signature Support
For organizations:
Require multiple approvals
Set role-based limits
Audit trail for all transactions
Payment Routing
Optimize costs:
Automatically select cheapest chain
Use L2 solutions when available
Bridge tokens as needed
Troubleshooting
"Payment stuck in pending"
Solution: Check blockchain explorer
May need higher gas price
Wait for network congestion to clear
Contact support if >10 minutes
"Limits keep getting exceeded"
Solution: Adjust your limits
"Transaction fails immediately"
Possible causes:
Insufficient gas
Network congestion
Invalid service endpoint
Learn More
Questions? Email [email protected]
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