Programmable PayNotes for Digital Wallet Platforms
Extend your existing wallet escrow into programmable, AI-ready payment flows. Merchants define the rules, customers trust the enforcement, and your platform monetizes the flexibility.
Who Participates in a Digital Wallet PayNote?
The same trusted roles—payer, payee, platform—now coordinate through programmable agreements managed inside your wallet ecosystem.
Payer
Wallet user
Wallet holder or regional app user authorizing payment conditions.
Payee
Merchant on platform or partner network
Receives funds when the programmable conditions are satisfied.
Guarantor
Wallet provider / payment platform
Alipay, WeChat Pay, GrabPay, Cash App, Venmo—trusted intermediary enforcing rules.
Currency
Wallet balance or local currency
Runs on platform balances or underlying bank rails your wallet already supports.
Programmable Conditions for Wallet Commerce
Escrow was only the beginning. PayNotes introduce programmable logic that merchants, customers, and AI agents can rely on without leaving your platform.
Programmable Escrow 2.0
Move beyond fixed “hold until delivery” logic—compose complex rules and milestones.
AI Agent Ready
AI shoppers can operate safely within wallet-defined guardrails and merchant rules.
Platform Differentiation
Offer merchants custom payment experiences the competition cannot match.
How the Parties Interact
Merchants encode terms, wallet platforms guarantee enforcement, and customers or AI agents participate with confidence.
Why this enhances existing platforms:
- Basic escrow becomes programmable—merchants craft flows that match their business.
- AI agents operate within safe, platform-enforced guidelines.
- Differentiated payment capabilities create defensible platform value.
Merchant
- Creates branded payment experiences with programmable conditions.
- Supports AI agent shoppers without bespoke integrations.
- Relies on wallet platform to enforce promises automatically.
Wallet Platform
- Reviews PayNotes, guarantees enforcement, and manages settlement timing.
- Exposes APIs for merchants and AI agents to interact with programmable escrow.
- Monetizes premium payment capabilities and strengthens platform loyalty.
Customer / AI Agent
- Accepts PayNotes through the familiar wallet app interface.
- Exercises rights (refunds, cancellations, approvals) directly in-app.
- Trusts existing platform guarantees extended to programmable conditions.
For the platform, PayNotes leverage capabilities you already maintain—trust, balances, dispute ops—and make them programmable, monetizable, and AI-ready.
See How It Works
Example Use Cases
AI Shopping Agent Ecosystems
AI agents browse mini-programs, compare prices, and complete purchases under programmable wallet rules—far beyond static escrow.
Social Commerce Group Buys
Merchants encode “refund if minimum not reached” or tiered pricing logic. Wallet enforces automatically.
Gig & Delivery Milestones
Hold funds, release after pickup, drop-off, and complaint window checks—customizable per vertical or city.
Marketplace Seller Choice
Customer authorizes budget; AI agents or shoppers choose the best seller later. Wallet routes funds accordingly.
Subscription Trial Automation
Guarantee refunds during trials directly through the wallet app. Platform enforces without merchant discretion.
Quality Verification Workflows
High-value goods require confirmation within 48 hours. Wallet coordinates “approve or refund” flows programmatically.
Value Proposition
For Wallet Platforms
Product Differentiation
- Evolve from basic escrow to programmable payment conditions.
- Position as “AI agent compatible” wallet infrastructure.
- Give merchants tools to build unique flows inside your ecosystem.
Enable New Models
- Support AI agent commerce and dynamic marketplaces.
- Accommodate complex services with milestone payments.
- Let merchants compose workflows without platform engineering.
Incremental Revenue
- Charge premiums for programmable conditions and AI APIs.
- Drive higher volume via new use cases and merchant acquisitions.
- Bundle advanced features into merchant subscription tiers.
Competitive Moat
- Merchants invest in custom flows that lock them to your platform.
- AI agents prefer wallets with flexible guardrails and APIs.
- Network effects deepen as more programmable PayNotes launch.
For Merchants
Custom Payment Experiences
- Design branded payment journeys aligned to your business model.
- Move beyond one-size-fits-all escrow options.
- Launch innovative offers (group buys, guarantees, staged releases).
AI Agent Accessibility
- Expose products to AI shopping agents safely and programmatically.
- Define limits and guardrails agents must follow.
- Tap into autonomous commerce without manual integrations.
Customer Trust
- Platform-backed promises inspire confidence.
- Reduce customer service by codifying policies in PayNotes.
- Offer sophisticated pricing and guarantee models easily.
For Customers
AI Agents Can Shop
- Authorize budgets and rules; let agents find best merchants.
- Stay within wallet-controlled guardrails and alerts.
- Track agent decisions and approvals in real time.
Flexible Protections
- Trial periods, quality checks, milestone flows—all enforced.
- Exercise rights directly inside the wallet app.
- Go beyond basic “hold until delivery” protections.
Familiar Trust Layer
- No new accounts—same wallet, stronger capabilities.
- Depend on the provider you already trust for settlement and dispute resolution.
- Transparent status from authorization through release.
Platform Operations & Implementation
What You Already Have
- Hold/release mechanisms (escrow or balance management).
- Dispute resolution and refund processes.
- Settlement orchestration to merchants and partners.
- User trust infrastructure with KYC, AML, and fraud controls.
What PayNotes Add
- Programmable conditions instead of fixed escrow rules.
- APIs for AI agents to operate within wallet guardrails.
- Merchant-configurable workflows and evidence timelines.
- Composable rules that combine triggers, approvals, and milestones.
Technical Integration
- Accept PayNote documents as programmable payment instructions.
- Reuse existing funds-hold and release primitives behind new APIs.
- Expose status to merchants, customers, and AI agents for transparency.
- Log evidence and condition evaluations for compliance and dispute handling.
Implementation Considerations
- May require regulatory approval for fund holds.
- Focus on simpler use cases if instant finality is mandated.
- Expect limited pricing flexibility due to fee caps.
- Existing escrow features provide a fast starting point.
- Freedom to price premium capabilities for merchants.
- Ideal candidates for full programmable PayNote deployments.
Escrow vs PayNotes
- Existing escrow: Fixed rules, platform-defined terms, manual dispute workflows, human shoppers only.
- PayNotes: Programmable conditions, merchant-defined rules, automated validation, AI agent compatibility.
FAQ for Platform Decision Makers
We already run escrow. Why PayNotes?
PayNotes turn escrow into a programmable platform. Merchants define custom conditions, AI agents participate safely, and you monetize advanced features instead of providing static holds.
Do we need to replace settlement systems?
No. You reuse existing hold and release infrastructure. PayNotes standardize how merchants describe conditions and how you evaluate them.
What regulatory considerations exist?
Private platforms typically do not need new approval. Government-backed networks may require consultation if regulations mandate instant finality or limit holds.
How do we price programmable conditions?
You can charge 10–30% more than standard transaction fees and introduce subscription tiers for merchants needing programmable workflows.
Are PayNotes tied to a vendor?
No. PayNotes are an open protocol. Start with managed services, then migrate to your own infrastructure while keeping documents portable.