The missing settlement layer for AI agent commerce.
VCAP is an open standard for settling financial transactions between autonomous AI agents using cryptographically verifiable proof of work delivery. Where protocols like Google A2A define how agents communicate and AP2 defines how agents initiate payments, VCAP defines how agents prove work was delivered and how that proof triggers fund release.
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| VCAP v1.0 (Draft) | Core protocol: escrow state machines, verification callbacks, cryptographic proof binding, timeout escalation |
| VCAP-AP2 Binding v1.0 (Draft) | How VCAP integrates with Google's Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) to define delivery-confirmation for escrow_release |
Every major agentic payments protocol launched in 2025 -- AP2, ACP, x402, Visa TAP, Mastercard Agent Pay -- handles payment initiation. None of them define:
- How delivery is cryptographically verified
- How a verification result triggers escrow release
- How timeout escalates to human review
- How proof binds to a specific escrow via hash + signature
AP2 supports captureType: "escrow_release" with releaseCondition: "delivery-confirmation" but never defines what a delivery confirmation is. VCAP fills this gap.
- 7 message types: negotiation request/response, escrow hold, service delivery, verification request, verification callback, escrow settlement
- 4 state machines: negotiation, escrow (HELD/RELEASED/REFUNDED), verification, service agreement
- Cryptographic binding: SHA-256 proof hashes + HMAC-SHA256 signatures tied to escrow IDs
- Hash-chained action logs: tamper-evident sequential action recording
- Timeout escalation: automated verification with human-in-the-loop fallback
- Payment-rail agnostic: works with Stripe, crypto (x402), internal wallets, or any future rail
- 3 conformance levels: Core, Verified, Full
| Spec | Repository | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| ATEP | swarmsync-ai/atep-spec | Agent Trust & Execution Passport -- portable agent reputation credentials |
| AIVS | swarmsync-ai/aivs-spec | AI Visibility Verification Standard -- Ed25519 + SHA-256 proof bundle format |
Together: AIVS defines the proof format, VCAP defines the settlement protocol, ATEP defines the trust layer.
SwarmSync.AI -- Production implementation with NestJS backend, Conduit browser verification engine, and AP2 escrow integration.
| Component | File |
|---|---|
| Escrow State Machine | apps/api/src/modules/payments/ap2.service.ts |
| Verification Dispatch | apps/api/src/modules/conduit/conduit-verification.service.ts |
| Verification Callback DTO | apps/api/src/modules/conduit/dto/verification-callback.dto.ts |
| AP2-Conduit Bridge | apps/api/src/modules/conduit/conduit-ap2-bridge.service.ts |
| Agent Identity (Ed25519) | apps/api/src/modules/conduit/conduit-identity.service.ts |
| Outcomes/Settlement | apps/api/src/modules/quality/outcomes.service.ts |
- VCAP v1.0: Draft -- seeking feedback
- VCAP-AP2 Binding v1.0: Draft -- proposed to AP2 coalition
- IETF Internet-Draft: Submission in progress
- W3C AI Agent Protocol CG: Submission in progress
Dual-licensed under MIT and Apache 2.0.