The open standard for machine-to-machine payments via HTTP 402.
The Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) is the open standard for machine-to-machine payments via HTTP 402. Co-developed by Tempo and Stripe, MPP enables charging for API requests, tool calls, and content via the HTTP 402 status code. It standardizes HTTP 402 for machine-to-machine payments, allowing agents, apps, and services to exchange payments within the same HTTP request. The protocol is extensible and works with any payment network, supporting methods like Tempo stablecoins, Stripe cards, and Bitcoin Lightning.
For developers building AI agents, the Machine Payments Protocol enables programmatic payment for LLM API access. An agent can automatically pay per token for services like GPT-4 without human intervention or pre-provisioned API keys.
For solopreneurs offering data services, the Machine Payments Protocol enables seamless API monetization. Clients can pay per query for market data or analytics, with transactions handled automatically by their agents.
For academic researchers, the Machine Payments Protocol enables pay-per-query access to real-time web search results. Agents can retrieve up-to-date information for studies without being limited by free tiers or manual credential setup.
For freelance graphic designers, the Machine Payments Protocol allows agents to pay for AI image generation services on demand. An agent can generate multiple design variations by paying per image across different providers without managing separate accounts.
The Machine Payments Protocol itself is free and open-source, with no licensing fees for implementation. Pricing for payments made through MPP is set per service, with typical per-request costs ranging from $0.01 to $0.10 for individual charge payments. Session-based payments can significantly lower per-request costs as only net settlement hits the blockchain.
Yes, the Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) is a free and open standard. There are no licensing fees associated with implementing MPP. However, the actual cost of transactions will depend on the specific payment methods and services used through the protocol.
While MPP is designed for AI agents, traditional API key systems and subscription models serve as alternatives for controlling access to services. For direct machine-to-machine payments, other protocols or custom integrations might be considered depending on specific needs, though MPP aims to standardize this process.
MPP requires TLS 1.2+ for all connections and uses cryptographic binding to prevent replay attacks. Payments leverage the security of the underlying payment method, such as Stripe's fraud infrastructure or cryptographic signatures for Tempo. GDPR compliance would depend on how individual services implementing MPP handle user data.
MPP extends the HTTP 402 concept used by x402 by being payment-method agnostic, supporting stablecoins, cards, and custom rails, whereas x402 is blockchain-specific. MPP is designed for production with features like idempotency and request-body binding, and offers performant, low-cost session-based payments, unlike x402's per-transaction on-chain model.
MPP is a protocol that operates over HTTP, making it accessible via web applications and APIs. While there isn't a dedicated 'desktop' or 'mobile' version of the protocol itself, clients and agents using MPP can be integrated into web, desktop, and mobile applications.
MPP is a protocol, not a standalone application that requires installation. Developers integrate MPP into their services or applications using official SDKs available in languages like TypeScript, Python, Rust, Go, and Ruby. You can get started quickly with the provided quickstart guides and server middleware.
We're still verifying the official pricing for Machine Payments Protocol. In the meantime, the most up-to-date plans and prices are available directly on the publisher's website.
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