Payment Rails for the AI Agent Economy
CLASP uses XRP payment channels for unlimited off-ledger micropayments at $0.0004 per 10,000 calls. Up to 2,500x lower network fees than on-chain alternatives.*
The Problem
AI agents make thousands of micro-transactions. Traditional payment rails were not designed for this.
Credit Cards
$0.30 + 2.9% per tx. 10K calls = $3,000+. Designed for human-scale purchases, not high-frequency micropayments.
x402 on Base
$0.0001/tx on-chain. 10K calls = $1.00 + 10K on-chain txns. Lower fees, but requires one on-chain transaction per API call.
Google AP2
Centralized infrastructure operated by Google.
CLASP
2 on-chain txns total. 10K off-ledger claims. Cost: $0.0004. Open-source. Decentralized.
How CLASP Works
Provider Registers
API provider integrates CLASP SDK (10 lines of code) and registers their endpoint with pricing.
Agent Discovers
AI agent finds the API via CLASP Discovery or MCP integration. Evaluates pricing and reputation.
Channel Opens
Agent opens a payment channel with a single on-chain XRP transaction ($0.0002 fee).
Micro Claims
Each API call includes a signed off-ledger payment claim. Provider verifies via ECDSA — instant.
Settlement
Provider submits the latest accumulated claim for net settlement. One on-chain transaction.
Live on Testnet
CLASP isn't a whitepaper — it's running on the XRP Ledger testnet right now with real payment channels, real DEX trading, and real agent bots.
Protocol Metrics
Real-time payment channel analytics, claim throughput, and settlement tracking.
DEX Order Books
Live order books across 6 trading pairs on the native XRPL decentralized exchange.
AMM Pools
Automated market maker pools with geometric mean pricing and continuous auction.
Token Directory
Token directory with trust line data, supply tracking, and issuer verification.
Payment Channels
Open payment channels with real-time utilization, balance tracking, and claim history.
This isn't a mockup. This is production code running on a live blockchain.
Built with Next.js, FastAPI, PostgreSQL, and the xrpl-py SDK. Every number comes from the XRP Ledger testnet.
Cost Comparison
| Metric | Credit Cards | x402 / Base | Google AP2 | CLASP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10K API calls | $3,000+ | $1.00 | $0.50+ | $0.0004 |
| On-chain txns | N/A | 10,000 | N/A | 2 |
| Settlement | 2-5 days | ~2 sec | Varies | Instant† |
| Decentralized | No | Yes | No | Yes |
*Based on network transaction fees for 10,000 API calls. CLASP: 2 on-chain XRPL transactions ($0.0002 each). x402/Base: 10,000 on-chain transactions (~$0.0001 each). Excludes XRP channel collateral and provider settlement fees. Base gas fees vary with network congestion. As of February 2026.
†Off-ledger claims are instant. On-chain settlement requires one XRPL transaction (~3-5 seconds).
SDK Integration
Add micropayment billing to any API in 10 lines of code.
Server SDK (API Providers)
from clasp import CLASPServer
sp = CLASPServer(xrp_address="rYourAddress...")
@app.route("/api/data")
@sp.require_payment(price_drops=1000)
def get_data():
return {"data": "your_response"}Agent SDK
from clasp import CLASPAgent
agent = CLASPAgent(seed="sYourSeed...")
response = agent.pay_and_call(
url="https://weather-api.com/forecast",
max_price_drops=1000
)Ethical by Design
CLASP payments are pure fee-for-service — an agent pays for an API call, a provider delivers a service. No interest, no speculation, no ambiguous terms. Every claim is tied to real economic activity with transparent pricing and immediate settlement.