Category: Decentralized Multi-Asset Payment Infrastructure Platform: DFINITY Internet Computer (ICP)
The IC-PayX x402 Payment Framework is a modular, decentralized, and keyless payment protocol built for the Internet Computer (ICP). Based on the x402 Open Payment Standard, IC-PayX extends its model with ICP-native capabilities such as EIP-2612 permits, certified data, and ECDSA-based cross-chain transactions.
IC-PayX introduces a unified standard for multi-asset payments, permit-based authorization, and decentralized service discovery, enabling trustless, auditable, and composable payment flows across ICP and Ethereum ecosystems.
- ICRC-30: EIP-2612 Permit Extension Propose a new standard for ICP tokens
- Multi-Chain Payment Support: ICP ↔ Ethereum (USDC / ERC20)
- Internet Identity Integration: Keyless user authentication
- Facilitator Registry: Open and verifiable network of payment facilitators
- IC-PayX Scan Platform: Discovery and analytics hub for facilitators and services
- ECDSA Cross-Chain Signing: Enables ICP to execute Ethereum transactions
- Develop a multi-asset, trustless payment framework supporting ICRC1/2 and ERC20 assets.
- Implement ICRC-30, an open permit-based authorization standard for ICP tokens.
- Deliver cross-chain payment capability using ICP ECDSA signatures.
- Launch the IC-PayX Scan Platform for service discovery, analytics, and registration.
- Establish a foundation for decentralized AI, API, and data commerce on ICP.
All payment modules are implemented as independent ICP canisters, each maintaining its own autonomous state and verifiable logic. This architecture ensures full transparency, auditability, and modular composability across the entire payment network.
Through the ICRC-30: EIP-2612 Permit Extension proposal, IC-PayX enables off-chain signature-based approvals. Users authorize payments without ever exposing private keys or maintaining traditional wallets, resulting in secure, seamless, and frictionless authorization across dApps and services.
IC-PayX natively supports both ICRC1/2 (ICP-native tokens) and EVM ERC20 assets, enabling payments across ecosystems. Using ICP’s built-in ECDSA signature service, the framework can securely sign and broadcast Ethereum transactions, bridging ICP with the wider Web3 financial landscape.
Every payment log, facilitator record, and authorization event is stored using ICP Certified Variables. This provides Merkle-proof verifiability for frontends and third-party indexers — ensuring that all user-facing data can be validated without trusting any centralized server.
The Internet Computer’s Threshold Relay + Chain Key cryptography achieves deterministic finality and sub-second execution, making IC-PayX suitable for real-time microtransactions, high-frequency trading, and automated service payments.
Unlike traditional blockchains, the Internet Computer imposes no gas fees on end users. All computation and storage costs are handled by canisters through cycle-based economics, meaning:
- End users experience instant, gasless transactions, ideal for Web2-like onboarding.
- Developers can design subscription-based or sponsored-fee models without compromising decentralization.
- Facilitators and dApps can abstract transaction costs entirely, creating a smooth, scalable payment UX that’s impossible on gas-metered chains.
This zero-fee model transforms IC-PayX into a truly frictionless payment network, accessible to both crypto-native users and mainstream audiences.
| Layer | Technology | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Contracts | Rust (ic-cdk) | Core logic & canister orchestration |
| Identity | Internet Identity | Principal-based authentication |
| Tokens | ICRC1 / ICRC2 / ERC20 (EIP-2612) | Multi-chain assets |
| Authorization | ICRC-30 | Universal permit-based authorization |
| Cross-Chain | ICP ECDSA Service | Ethereum transaction signing |
| Frontend | Next.js / React + agent-js | dApp and Scan UI |
| APIs | GraphQL / REST | Indexer and analytics access |
| Certification | ic-certified-map | Verifiable state proofs |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Frontend (dApp) |
| - Payment UI & transaction status |
| - Internet Identity + ICRC-30 permit signing |
| - Service registration via IC-PayX Scan |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
|
v
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| IIC-PayXScan / API Gateway Layer |
| - Facilitator & Service metadata APIs |
| - Token metadata, price feeds, and reputation data |
| - GraphQL / REST endpoints for explorers and analytics |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
|
v
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ICP Smart Contract Layer |
| |
| +------------------+ +------------------+ +----------------------+ |
| | Payment Manager | | Authorization | | Facilitator Registry | |
| | - Orders & exec. | | - ICRC-30 permits| | - Registration & DAO | |
| +------------------+ +------------------+ +----------------------+ |
| |
| +------------------+ +-------------------+ |
| | Asset Manager | | Transaction Logger| |
| | - Multi-asset | | - Certified logs | |
| +------------------+ +-------------------+ |
| |
| +------------------------------------------+ |
| | ICRC-30 Permit Transfer | |
| | - Permit verification & cross-token exec | |
| | - Fallback approval flow | |
| +------------------------------------------+ |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|
v
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| External Asset Interfaces |
| - ICRC Tokens(ICRC-30) |
| - ERC20 (EIP-2612) via Ethereum Gateway |
| - Third-party payment bridges |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
- Composable: Each module is an autonomous canister.
- Auditable: Certified Merkle-proof verification.
- Keyless: ICRC-30 replaces manual approvals.
- Cross-Chain: ECDSA signing supports external networks.
- Discoverable: IC-PayX Scan provides registry & analytics.
| Module | Function | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Payment Manager | Executes payment orders | ICRC-30 permits, fallback transfers, order batching |
| Authorization (ICRC-30) | Manages scope-based approvals | Compatible with EIP-2612, supports expiry and replay protection |
| ICRC-30 Permit Transfer | Cross-token verification | Unified flow for ICP + ETH assets |
| Asset Manager | Multi-asset custody | ICRC, ERC20, pay & transfer support |
| Transaction Logger | Certified record-keeping | Tamper-proof via certified variables |
| Facilitator Registry | Decentralized node registry | Metadata, discovery APIs, scoring engine |
| Risk & Security | Fraud & abuse protection | Rate limits, ACLs, optional multi-sig |
| IC-PayX Scan Layer | Service discovery portal | Frontend for registration and analytics |
The x402 protocol defines open, secure interactions among Buyers, Facilitators, Sellers, and the Discovery Network. IC-PayX adopts and extends this standard for ICP, ensuring transparent, decentralized payment routing.
| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer | Purchaser | Initiates payment via signed ICRC-30 intent |
| Facilitator | Mediator | Executes payments, issues certified receipts |
| Seller | Provider | Registers services, validates receipts |
| Discovery | Index | Lists and verifies registered facilitators/services |
Buyer ──► Facilitator ──► Seller-------
▲ │ │
│ ▼ │
└──── Discovery (IC-PayX Scan) ◄───┘
- Buyer authenticates via Internet Identity, generates ICRC-30 permit.
- Facilitator validates permit, executes payment via Payment Manager.
- Seller confirms via certified transaction logs.
- Discovery (IC-PayX Scan) maintains certified metadata and analytics.
- Open Participation: Any developer can run a Facilitator node.
- No Vendor Lock-in: Market-driven facilitator competition.
- Composability: Buyers, Sellers, and Facilitators interoperate via open APIs.
- Verifiability: Every payment path is cryptographically auditable.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| ICRC-30 Authorization Layer | Unifies ICP and EVM permit standards |
| Certified Receipts | Verifiable Merkle-based payment proofs |
| IC-PayX Scan API | Search by token, fee, uptime, or region |
| Cross-Chain Settlement | ICP executes ETH transactions via ECDSA |
| Trust Scoring Model | Facilitator ratings based on performance metrics |
IC-PayX Scan is the discovery, analytics, and registration gateway of the IC-PayX network.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Facilitator Explorer | Browse registered facilitators and reputation scores |
| Service Registry | On-chain registration for dApps, APIs, and services |
| Certified Metadata | ICP-verified facilitator and service info |
| Analytics Dashboard | Volume, uptime, and performance insights |
| Discovery API | Query by token, fee model, or category |
| Registration Portal | Internet Identity-based onboarding for new participants |
| Stage | Name | Main Deliverables | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | ICRC-30 Core & Payment Prototype | Implement ICRC-30 standard and first keyless payment prototype | Weeks 1–5 |
| M2 | Multi-chain Support & Facilitator Registry | Implement EIP-2612 + ECDSA cross-chain payments and coordinator registry | Weeks 6–12 |
| M3 | IC-PayX Scan Platform & SDK | Service discovery platform, logging system, SDK, and governance module | Weeks 13–16 |
- Full implementation of ICRC-30: EIP-2612 Permit Extension
- Operational multi-chain payment MVP on ICP
- IC-PayX Scan Platform (Facilitator & Service discovery)
- Cross-chain signing between ICP and Ethereum
- Certified logging and verifiable payment proofs
- Open-source SDK & documentation
| Area | Focus |
|---|---|
| ICRC-30 Standardization | Submit as open standard to DFINITY Forum |
| Reputation Engine v2 | Dynamic facilitator scoring |
| Streaming Payments | Continuous and subscription settlement |
| DAO Governance | Facilitator staking and treasury rewards |
| Multi-Chain Expansion | Support for Base, Solana, and L2 networks |
- Establishes ICP’s first cross-chain, keyless payment framework
- Enables AI, API, and DePIN services to monetize directly on-chain
- Bridges ICP and EVM ecosystems through unified authorization
- Sets a new open standard (ICRC-30) for secure, verifiable payments
The IC-PayX x402 Payment Framework represents a transformative step in Web3 financial infrastructure. By merging x402’s decentralized role model with ICRC-30 authorization and the IC-PayX Scan Platform, it enables a truly open, auditable, and composable payment ecosystem — where services, facilitators, and users interact without intermediaries or private key exposure.
IC-PayX positions the Internet Computer as a central hub for next-generation cross-chain payment automation and decentralized commerce.