How Prism Works
Prism uses a two-layer architecture that separates business logic from on-chain settlement. You integrate at the orchestration layer — familiar APIs and SDKs. Settlement happens transparently on-chain through the Spectrum layer. Merchants never need to touch smart contracts directly.Architecture Overview
Prism is the orchestration layer. It handles everything the merchant interacts with: API credentials, charge creation, protocol translation, webhook delivery, and the Prism Console dashboard. When you integrate the Prism SDK or call the Prism Gateway API, you’re talking to Prism. Spectrum is the settlement layer. It handles on-chain operations: verifying that stablecoin payments were made, confirming transactions on the blockchain, and ensuring finality. Spectrum operates across Ethereum, Base, BSC, and Arbitrum — both mainnets and testnets. This separation means Prism can evolve its business logic, add new commerce protocols, and improve the merchant experience — without changing the underlying settlement infrastructure.Transaction Lifecycle
Here’s what happens during a payment, step by step:Request
An AI agent makes an HTTP request to the merchant’s protected endpoint
(e.g.,
GET /api/premium/data).402 Response
The Prism SDK middleware intercepts the request and returns HTTP 402
Payment Required. The response includes payment requirements: amount,
token, chain, recipient address, and a deadline.
Payment
The agent’s wallet reads the 402 response, constructs a stablecoin payment,
and submits it on-chain.
Retry with Proof
The agent retries the original request, this time including the payment
proof (transaction signature) in the
X-PAYMENT header.Verification
Prism forwards the payment proof to Spectrum, which verifies the on-chain
transaction — correct amount, correct token, correct recipient, transaction
confirmed.
Settlement
Once verified, settlement is complete. The stablecoins are in the merchant’s
wallet. Prism confirms the payment to the SDK middleware.
Protocol Support
Prism is protocol-agnostic. Today it supports x402; ACP and UCP support is coming soon. The architecture handles protocol translation, so your integration stays the same regardless of which protocol the agent uses.x402 (Live)
The primary protocol for direct API and content monetization. The agent hits an endpoint, gets a 402 response, pays, and gets access. Simple HTTP-level flow. Best for API endpoints, data feeds, premium content, and any pay-per-request model. Full x402 documentation →ACP — Agent Commerce Protocol (Coming Soon)
Created by OpenAI for structured AI agent commerce. Covers product discovery, cart management, and checkout flow. Prism will serve as the settlement layer — ACP handles the commerce flow, Prism handles the money.UCP — Universal Commerce Protocol (Coming Soon)
Created by Google for the full commerce journey from discovery to post-purchase. More comprehensive than ACP, covering fulfillment and returns. Prism integrates as the settlement and payment verification layer. Protocol landscape overview →Settlement
All settlements happen in stablecoins — FDUSD and USDC. The transaction is final once confirmed on the blockchain. No chargebacks, no disputes, no clawbacks. Settlement flows directly from the agent’s wallet to the merchant’s wallet. No intermediary holds the funds. The merchant can hold stablecoins, swap to fiat via an off-ramp, or transfer to another wallet.| Chain | Settlement Time | Gas Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Base | ~2 seconds | Very low |
| Arbitrum | ~2 seconds | Very low |
| BSC | ~3 seconds | Low |
| Ethereum | ~12 seconds | Higher |
Prism Console
The Prism Console is the management dashboard where merchants and platforms:- Create and manage API keys
- Monitor transactions in real-time
- Configure payment settings (accepted tokens, chains, pricing)
- Set up webhook endpoints
- View revenue analytics