MachPay Architecture: Fast Path vs. Slow Path

MachPay decouples authorization speed from settlement finality, mirroring the Layer 2.5 model outlined in the whitepaper.[file:///Users/abhishektomar/Desktop/git/machpay-docs/whitepaper/machpay_whitepaper.pdf]

The Fast Path — <5 ms Authorization

  • Participants: Agent ↔ Gateway

  • Transport: Standard HTTP with an X-MachPay-Auth header

  • Flow:

    1. Agent requests a resource.

    2. Gateway responds with 402 Payment Required and a nonce challenge.

    3. Agent replays the call with a signed MachPay token (EIP-712 intent).

    4. Gateway validates the signature against the agent’s solvency bond and streams the resource.

Because every check is off-chain and purely cryptographic, authorization happens in under 5 ms, which lets agents stay in conversational real time.

The Slow Path — Asynchronous Settlement

  • Participants: Gateway ↔ Relayer ↔ Blockchain

  • Flow:

    1. Gateways accumulate payment receipts locally.

    2. Relayers scoop thousands of receipts, build a Merkle tree, and craft a batch proof.

    3. The batch is submitted to the Layer 2 settlement contract, slashing fraudulent intents and paying vendors in one transaction.

This batching model amortizes gas costs while preserving on-chain accountability, matching the Optimistic Delivery mechanism described in the MachPay whitepaper.[file:///Users/abhishektomar/Desktop/git/machpay-docs/whitepaper/machpay_whitepaper.pdf]

Visualizing the Flow

Imagine a looped diagram:

  1. Agent ↔ Gateway (fast loop): Continuous HTTP request/response cycle with signed headers.

  2. Gateway → Relayer: Periodic export of receipt logs.

  3. Relayer → Blockchain: Merkle root submission, dispute window, and token transfers.

Why the Split Matters

  • Unlimited Throughput: Off-chain loops are bounded only by server hardware; relayers can queue any number of receipts before settling.

  • Zero Gas for Agents: Agents never touch the blockchain directly; they only sign intents, so the relayer pays gas once per batch.

This dual-path design lets MachPay offer sub-second UX without sacrificing trustless settlement—something neither traditional payment processors nor monolithic L1 blockchains can achieve.

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