How Can a Merchant Accept Agent Payments for an API?

You run an industry-data API and want an agent to pay $0.01 per query. Beyond setting a price, the client needs to know how to pay, the server must confirm payment and both need a way to handle a paid request whose data never arrives.

This conceptual x402 example is not an implementation tutorial; no real funds were used.

flowchart TD A[Agent requests data] --> B[Server returns payment requirements] B --> C[Client prepares payment payload] C --> D[Retry request with payload] D --> E[Verify and process payment as implemented] E --> F[Return data under service rules] F --> G[Record payment and delivery]

Define the product first

Merchant question	Examples to decide
Product	A query, a file or time-limited access?
Price	Fixed per request or usage-based?
Payment requirements	Supported networks, assets, recipient and amount?
Delivery	What is returned and how is a timeout checked?
Support	How are failures, refunds and duplicate requests handled?

Agent automation does not replace data quality, service terms or reliability. For a $0.01 service, check whether network, processing and refund costs make the model sustainable.

Where does x402 fit?

The x402 HTTP specification describes how servers express payment requirements and clients supply payment information in subsequent requests. Coinbase’s Bazaar MCP documentation illustrates one implementation that verifies and processes settlement before forwarding the original request; other implementations may differ.

A wallet provides applicable signing or payment capability, a processor performs relevant verification or settlement, and the API provider delivers the service. x402 does not automatically solve refunds, quality review or agent budgets.

What should be tested before launch?

Reject incorrect amounts, currencies, networks or recipients.
Determine how clients check order and delivery status if connectivity drops after payment.
Test duplicate charges, idempotency and handling of existing credentials.
Decide how to retry, refund or notify when payment succeeds but upstream data fails.
Link receipts and logs to orders without storing keys or sensitive credentials.

A documentation example does not prove all services implement these controls. Test in a testnet or simulated environment first, then separately confirm production geography, contracts and fees.