Payflip icon

Payflip

Payflip lets people send money using a phone number, email address, @handle, QR code, merchant, agent, or link instead of bank details. Recipients choose how to receive the funds, while unclaimed payments automatically return after the configured expiry period.

Payflip

Identity-addressed payments with automatic return

Payflip is a social payment protocol for sending money to a person or organization by a nameable identity rather than an IBAN or wallet address. A sender can specify a phone number, email address, @handle, QR code, merchant, agent, or link, add an amount and note, and send the payment into an escrow-based claim flow.

The recipient is notified and chooses how to receive the funds from the options presented. The site describes bank or ACH, debit card, USDC on Base, and Apple Cash examples. If the recipient does not claim the payment before its configured time-to-live expires, the funds automatically return to the sender. Payflip is presented for individuals, creators, merchants, and AI-agent payment scenarios, although the AI-agent functionality is marked as coming soon.

Key features

Identity-based payment addressing

Address a payment with a phone number, email, @handle, QR code, merchant, agent, or link instead of entering bank details or a wallet address upfront.

Recipient-selected payout method

The recipient selects a receiving method from the claim flow; examples shown include bank or ACH, debit card, USDC on Base, and Apple Cash.

Automatic return for unclaimed funds

Unclaimed payments remain in escrow until the configured time-to-live expires, then return automatically to the sender rather than becoming a manual recovery task.

Links across messaging surfaces

Claim links can be delivered through SMS, iMessage, email, Instagram direct messages, Discord, and other browser-accessible contexts shown on the site.

Escrow state tracking

The product describes a non-custodial escrow lifecycle with pending, claimed, settled, and returned states, plus a TTL timer described as verifiable on a public ledger.

Mobile, QR, and agent-oriented flows

The mobile app is presented as a way to send and receive payments, while the site also describes QR payments, chat bots, voice interactions, and future AI-agent payment support.

Use cases

  • Personal payments

    Send a friend money using a phone number, email, or @handle, add a note such as a shared meal expense, and let the recipient select how to receive it.

  • Creator and merchant payments

    Creators and merchants can share a claim link through social or messaging channels so supporters or customers can receive or pay without exchanging bank details first.

  • Payments in chats and at counters

    Use browser links, SMS, email, Instagram messages, Discord, or QR codes to deliver a payment in the conversation or physical setting where the recipient is already present.

  • Payouts and distributions

    The site positions Payflip for gig, task, prize, bounty, settlement, and grant distributions where some recipients may not claim immediately; expiry-based returns limit unresolved balances.

  • AI-agent payments

    A planned x402-oriented flow is intended to give AI agents human-readable payment identities, spending allowances, and human escrow, while allowing sellers to receive fiat payouts. This capability is marked coming soon.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Recipients can be paid without providing an IBAN, wallet address, or creating an account in advance.
  • Recipients choose a receiving method through the claim flow, reducing the need for the sender to know the recipient's payment details.
  • Unclaimed payments are designed to return automatically after a sender-defined or configured expiry period.
  • The service supports claim links that can be opened in a browser and shared through several messaging and social contexts.

Cons

  • Pricing and transaction fees are not documented on the available pricing page; the site only shows a fee example in an app mockup.
  • The site does not provide enough documentation to confirm geographic coverage, currency availability, or the full set of supported payment rails.
  • Some AI-agent payment capabilities are labeled as coming soon rather than generally available.

FAQ

How does sending a payment work?

Payflip lets a sender address a payment using a phone number, email address, @handle, QR code, merchant, agent, or claim link. The recipient receives a claim request and chooses an available way to receive the funds.

How can a recipient receive money?

The recipient can choose from the receiving methods shown in the claim flow, including bank or ACH, debit card, USDC on Base, and Apple Cash. Availability may depend on the specific claim and recipient.

What happens if a payment is not accepted?

A sender can set an automatic return period for an unclaimed payment. The site demonstrates a 24-hour return option and states that funds return automatically when the time-to-live expires.

Does the recipient need to sign up?

The recipient does not need a Payflip account, app, wallet, or IBAN to claim a payment according to the product site. Claims can be opened through a browser link delivered in channels such as SMS, email, direct messages, or Discord.

Which platforms does Payflip support?

The site presents Payflip on iOS and Android, with stated compatibility of iOS 16 or later and Android 12 or later. It also describes browser-based claim links and payment flows in chats and direct messages.

Quick Facts

Category
Digital payments
Primary workflow
Send by phone, email, @handle, QR code, merchant, agent, or link
Recipient onboarding
No account, app, wallet, or IBAN required according to the site
Platforms
iOS 16+, Android 12+, and browser-based claim links
Example receiving methods
Bank/ACH, debit card, USDC on Base, and Apple Cash
Payment lifecycle
Escrowed, claimed and settled, or automatically returned after expiry