Machine Payments Protocol

What is Machine Payments Protocol?

Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) is an open protocol for machine-to-machine payments. It lets agents and apps pay for services by charging per request, tool call, or content while keeping the payment flow tied to an HTTP interaction.

The core purpose of MPP is to standardize how automated systems handle payments in the same request context, so a client can initiate an API call and include the payment mechanism for that call.

Key Features

• Open, standardized protocol for machine-to-machine payments: Supports automated payment flows intended for agents and apps rather than traditional human checkout.
• Per-request charging model: Enables charging based on individual API requests.
• Per-tool-call billing: Allows charges to align with discrete tool calls made by an agent during execution.
• Per-content charging: Supports charging associated with content generation or delivery in the request flow.
• Payment included in the same HTTP call: Designed so agents and apps can pay and request in a single HTTP interaction.

How to Use Machine Payments Protocol

1. Try MPP via the site entry point (“Try MPP now”).
2. Add payments to your API by adopting the protocol’s approach for attaching charges to API requests (including tool calls or content).
3. Run agent or app calls using the same HTTP call so the request and payment happen together.

If you’re integrating MPP into an existing system, start by identifying which actions you want to charge for—API requests, tool calls, or content—and map those to the protocol’s request flow.

Use Cases

• API providers that bill per request: An API can charge clients for each request while keeping payment handling within the same HTTP call.
• Agents that call tools during execution: An agent can trigger payments aligned to specific tool calls it makes as part of a run.
• Content-generating services: A service can charge per generated or delivered content while the payment is still part of the same HTTP request.
• Applications that orchestrate multiple automated steps: Apps can handle payment alongside the HTTP call that initiates or drives those steps, rather than relying on a separate payment workflow.

FAQ

• What does “machine-to-machine payments” mean here?
  It refers to payments initiated by agents and apps (automated clients) rather than a human-led checkout flow.

• How does MPP charge for usage?
  The site description indicates charges can be made per API request, per tool call, or per content.

• Are payments handled separately from the API request?
  The protocol is described as paying “in the same HTTP call,” meaning the payment is included in the request context.

• Is MPP limited to API requests, or can it cover tools and content too?
  The description explicitly mentions API requests, tool calls, and content as chargeable units.

Alternatives

• Direct, provider-specific API billing: Instead of using an open protocol, some providers implement their own billing semantics within their APIs (often with provider-specific integration steps and request formats).
• Checkout or payment link workflows for automated clients: Traditional payment flows are typically designed for human actions, which can be less suitable for automated agents that need to pay as part of an HTTP request.
• General-purpose metering/usage tracking systems: Systems that track usage and bill later can cover similar outcomes, but may not tie payment to the same HTTP call in the way MPP describes.