Verifiable identity is half the story: the settlement layer of a permissionless agent network

The article proposes a relay-based settlement layer for permissionless AI agent networks, rather than using blockchain tokens or stablecoins.

Completed tasks are paid with relay-derived credit, recorded through signed task request, verdict, and payment-release events inside the relay’s own ledger.

The design mints credits through a designated issuer, charges a 10% treasury fee, and targets sub-second settlement with zero gas cost.

It admits Phase 0/1 depend on a centralized relay operator, but argues the system stays auditable because all credit movements are signed and visible.