Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about PayDirect and the x402 payment protocol.
What is PayDirect?
PayDirect is a payment infrastructure platform that enables instant crypto settlement between AI agents, APIs, and users. It is built on Coinbase's x402 open payment protocol, providing a simple REST API, x402 middleware, and SDK for embedding payments into any application or agent workflow.
What is x402?
x402 is Coinbase's open protocol standard that extends HTTP with native payment capabilities. When an agent requests a paid resource, the server returns HTTP 402 (Payment Required) with payment details. The agent's wallet automatically signs and sends the payment, which is verified by a facilitator and settled on-chain. PayDirect supports x402 for agent-to-API payments alongside its REST API for traditional payment flows.
What currencies and networks does PayDirect support?
PayDirect currently supports ETH, USDC, and DAI on Ethereum, Base, and BSC networks. We are actively adding support for additional tokens and chains. Multi-chain settlement means you can accept payments on whichever network your users prefer.
How do I get started?
Sign up at paydirect.ai, generate an API key from your dashboard, and install the SDK with `npm install @paydirect/sdk`. You can create your first payment request in under 5 minutes. Check our Getting Started guide for step-by-step instructions.
How does pricing work?
PayDirect uses simple per-transaction pricing with no monthly fees or hidden charges. You only pay when payments are successfully processed. Volume discounts are available for high-throughput applications. See our Pricing page for full details.
Is PayDirect secure?
Yes. All payments are verified on-chain with cryptographic signatures. API keys are hashed and never stored in plaintext. Webhook payloads are signed so you can verify their authenticity. We wait for 6 block confirmations before marking transactions as confirmed, and all API communication is over HTTPS.
Can AI agents use PayDirect autonomously?
Absolutely — this is what PayDirect was built for. AI agents can programmatically create payment requests, process transactions, and verify settlements using the SDK or REST API. The x402 protocol enables agents to negotiate and pay for services without human intervention.
How do webhooks work?
When a payment event occurs (completed, failed, expired), PayDirect sends a signed POST request to your configured callback URL with the event details. Your server should return a 200 status within 30 seconds. Failed deliveries are retried automatically with exponential backoff.
What is the difference between sandbox and production?
Sandbox mode lets you test your integration without processing real payments or spending real tokens. Use sandbox API keys during development, then switch to production keys when you are ready to go live. The API interface is identical in both environments.
How does PayDirect relate to the ADAO financial stack?
PayDirect is the payment settlement layer within the broader ADAO ecosystem. It integrates with AgentBank (agent treasury), Escrowed (conditional payments), FundAgent (agent funding), AgentDAO (governance), and VentureOS (venture tooling) to provide a complete financial infrastructure for autonomous agents.
What happens if a transaction fails?
If a transaction fails on-chain, PayDirect updates the payment status to 'failed' and sends a webhook notification. The original payment request can be retried. For stuck transactions, the system has a 5-minute monitoring timeout after which it marks pending transactions as failed and notifies you.
Do I need to handle blockchain interactions directly?
No. PayDirect abstracts away all blockchain complexity. You interact with a simple REST API or SDK — create payments, check statuses, and receive webhooks. PayDirect handles transaction submission, confirmation monitoring, and settlement verification behind the scenes.
Where can I get help?
Check our developer documentation and guides for detailed integration instructions. For direct support, join our Telegram community or email support@paydirect.ai.
Still have questions?
Join our community or reach out to our team directly.