# Agent payments

URL: /systems/finance/agent-payments · Id: `capability:agent-payments`

> Agent payments let agents pay and get paid per call under a Mandate, settling each priced request inside its Limits.

Agent payments let agents pay and get paid per call under a [Mandate](/business/nouns/mandate), settling each priced request inside its [Limits](/business/nouns/limit).

## Contract
Every priced call quotes before it charges, and every charge runs under a Mandate.

| Rule | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| [Quote](/business/nouns/quote) | A priced request without payment returns 402 with the [Price](/business/nouns/price) and a `next` link |
| Mandate | `Mandate.spend` settles a charge only inside the Mandate's Limits |
| Per call | Each paid call records its Price, payer and Mandate on the [Action](/business/nouns/action) |
| Unknown payers | A new [Agent](/business/nouns/agent) starts with a small spend Limit that grows with paid history |
| Getting paid | A [Startup](/business/nouns/startup)'s own priced [Verbs](/business/nouns/verb) accept the same payments, settled to its ledger |
| Refunds | A refused or failed call is never charged |

## Verbs
| Verb | Object | Event |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Mandate.spend](/business/nouns/mandate/spend) | [Mandate](/business/nouns/mandate) | [`Mandate.spent`](/business/events/Mandate.spent) |

## Interfaces
- [API](/code/api/reference)
- [SDK](/code/sdk/reference)
- [CLI](/code/cli/reference)
- [MCP](/code/mcp/reference)

## Example
A research Agent calls a currency-conversion API without a key and receives 402 with a $0.002 Price. Its owner's Mandate allows $20 a day, so `Mandate.spend` settles the charge and the retry returns the rate.