ACTP

Pending

Agentic Commerce Trust Protocol (Alipay / Ant Group) — Alipay (Ant Group)

Overview

ACTP — the Agentic Commerce Trust Protocol — is Alipay's (Ant Group's) agentic commerce framework that extends MCP with delegated payment authorization. It enables AI agents to transact on behalf of users through Alipay's rails. The protocol uses Alipay Agent Tokens — delegated authorization credentials that allow agents to make payments within pre-approved budgets. (Earlier internal SettleGrid drafts referred to this as "Alipay Trust Protocol"; the canonical spec name is "Agentic Commerce Trust Protocol" / ACTP.)

How It Works

ACTP uses a delegated authorization model. A user (the principal) grants an AI agent an Alipay Agent Token through the Alipay authorization flow. The token carries embedded spending limits, time constraints, merchant category restrictions, and the user's payment preference (balance, credit, or Huabei installments).

When the agent calls a service, it presents the Agent Token in the x-alipay-agent-token header. The service verifies the token with Alipay's Open Platform API, which confirms the token's validity, checks spending limits, and authorizes the charge. Payment is settled through Alipay's existing rails.

The protocol supports multi-currency settlement (CNY, USD, EUR) and integrates with Alipay's existing merchant infrastructure, giving service providers access to Alipay's massive user base without separate payment integration.

How SettleGrid Integrates

SettleGrid tracks ACTP as an emerging rail; the Smart Proxy has detection wiring for Alipay Agent Tokens. When an agent presents an Alipay Agent Token, SettleGrid validates the token structure and (when Alipay partnership credentials are configured) verifies it with Alipay's Open Platform API. The tool invocation is metered and the developer receives payouts through Stripe Connect or Alipay merchant settlement. Requires ALIPAY_APP_ID and ALIPAY_PRIVATE_KEY environment variables for full API verification.

Key Specs

Protocol	ACTP — Agentic Commerce Trust Protocol (Alipay / Ant Group)
Backer	Alipay (Ant Group)
Detection Header	x-alipay-agent-token / Authorization: Bearer alipay_*
Identity Type	alipay-agent-token
Payment Type	alipay-rails
Status	Pending

Code Example

Here is how a developer's tool works with ACTP via SettleGrid:

alipay-trust-example.tstypescript

// Agent paying for a SettleGrid tool via ACTP (Agentic Commerce Trust Protocol)

const response = await fetch('https://settlegrid.ai/api/proxy/market-research', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'x-alipay-agent-token': 'alipay_agent_token_abc123...',
    'x-alipay-session-id': 'session_xyz789',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({ market: 'consumer-electronics', region: 'asia-pacific' }),
})

// Developer side — zero config needed:
import { settlegrid } from '@settlegrid/mcp'

const sg = settlegrid.init({
  toolSlug: 'market-research',
  pricing: { defaultCostCents: 15 },
  // Alipay Agent Tokens (pending GA — requires ALIPAY_APP_ID)
  // are detected; full settlement is not yet enabled
})

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