Compliance-Aware Agentic Payments on Stablecoin Rails

2026-04-30

AI Summary

This work addresses the absence of automated compliance enforcement mechanisms in existing stablecoin-based proxy payment systems operating within regulated environments. The paper proposes a compliance-aware architecture that, for the first time, embeds modular and programmable compliance logic directly into the payment execution flow as on-chain guardrails. By integrating X.402-style signature authorization, relayed execution, and on-chain policy wrappers, the system enforces compliance checks at the point of transaction execution. When compliance conditions are satisfied, the design enables low-friction settlement, automatically generates on-chain compliance proofs, and supports structured handling of pending compliance obligations—thereby achieving both operational efficiency and regulatory consistency.

Abstract

Agentic payment systems extend delegated action to financial transfers, but scaling them on stablecoin rails in regulated settings requires safeguards that remain effective when humans are not continuously in the loop. We present a compliance-aware architecture that combines x402-style, signature-based payment authorisation and relayed execution with programmable compliance embedded as an on-chain guardrail via a policy wrapper and policy manager coordinating modular checks. By enforcing compliance at the point of execution, rather than as a separate off-chain workflow, the approach preserves low-friction settlement when conditions are satisfied, records transaction-linked on-chain attestations, and supports structured resolution when requirements are pending.

Problem

• agentic payments
• stablecoin rails
• compliance
• regulated settings
• on-chain guardrail

Innovation

• compliance-aware
• agentic payments
• stablecoin rails
• on-chain guardrail
• programmable compliance