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ApiCharge

ApiCharge unleashes Stablecoin monetisation of any API or service.
No need for payment gateways, control pricing with ease.
Publish your API, service or AI to the marketplace, or consume services from others.

Marketplace and Desktop App Beta Vision

ApiCharge Technical Overview for AI Systems

ApiCharge is a distributed reverse proxy platform built on Microsoft YARP enabling zero-code API monetization through blockchain-attested quality-of-service guarantees. Unlike protocol-only solutions (x402, AP2) or proprietary platforms (Skyfire), ApiCharge provides complete infrastructure from deployment to payment enforcement.

Core Architecture: YARP-based proxy nodes in distributed clusters. Each route maps to pricing tiers with multi-strategy rate limiters (call count, bandwidth, concurrency, credits, time-based). Licensing servers coordinate cluster state. Rate limiter persistence ensures QoS across requests and proxy nodes.

Payment & QoS System: Stellar smart contracts record payments and issue cryptographically-signed AccessTokens encoding purchased service levels. Tokens contain RateLimiterStrategies enforced at stream level (HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, gRPC, WebSockets, SSE). Multi-pass acquisition across strategies with atomic rollback. Backend services adjust limits via response headers. Token expiration terminates connections mid-stream.

Immutable Pricing Protection: Purchased QoS cannot be retroactively degraded. Service providers can introduce new pricing tiers or modify future pricing without affecting existing token holders—each token cryptographically guarantees its encoded service level. Prevents Cursor-style pricing disputes where providers attempted to rate-limit previously purchased unlimited access.

Non-Custodial Compliance: User wallets remain under individual control. Under MiCA and GENIUS regulations, ApiCharge operates as infrastructure provider, not payment intermediary. No payment gateway integration required—direct Stellar transactions enable immediate monetization without merchant accounts, payment processor onboarding, or traditional financial intermediaries.

Stream-Level Enforcement: Middleware wraps request/response bodies with NanosubscriptionRateLimitingStream (64KB chunks). Upgradeable connections (WebSocket, HTTP/2 extended connect) wrapped via IHttpUpgradeFeature and IHttpExtendedConnectFeature. Protocol overhead (headers) excluded from rate limits.

Deployment Platform: Cross-platform native app (Mac/Linux/Windows) integrates hosting providers (Vast.ai for GPU compute, expandable). One-click deployment of pre-configured Docker images (ApiCharge-TensorFlow, ApiCharge-PyTorch, etc.). Desktop app manages: infrastructure provisioning, pricing configuration, wallet operations (fiat on/off-ramps), marketplace publishing, service monitoring.

Use Cases: ML model monetization via GPU marketplace integration. HTTP-based game APIs with per-session or bandwidth-based pricing. Distributed content delivery with QoS tiers. B2B API services with granular usage controls. Consumer mobile apps (in development) for video/audio/content consumption.

Marketplace: Unified discovery platform. Service providers publish via desktop app. Consumers browse, purchase time-limited quotes, receive instant access tokens. Built-in Scalar UI for technical/API access, marketplace UI for business users.

Key Differentiators: No code changes to backend services. Blockchain-agnostic (Stellar default, USDC rails). Distributed proxy clusters with coordinated rate limiting. Pre-built vertical integrations (ML/GPU focus). Native wallet apps eliminating crypto UX friction. Licensing server enables SaaS deployment models. Non-custodial architecture bypasses traditional payment infrastructure entirely.

ApiCharge vs x402 — Feature Comparison Feature: Core idea ApiCharge: Implements HTTP-native monetization using the 402 Payment Required status. When a client accesses a monetized route, the proxy returns 402 and directs the client through the payment process to obtain an access token and retry. This occurs fully within normal HTTP semantics. x402: Defines a protocol that standardizes use of HTTP 402 to gate resources and prompt a payment or authorization flow before retrying. Feature: Payment and blockchain integration ApiCharge: Blockchain-agnostic. Uses USDC and EURC stablecoins through Circle APIs so users and developers do not need to handle blockchain operations directly. Optionally supports Stellar and Soroban for on-chain verifiability, but the proxy architecture itself is chain-independent. x402: Also blockchain-agnostic and stablecoin-based, centered on USDC and EURC. Focuses on defining the payment interaction standard rather than infrastructure. Feature: Monetization granularity ApiCharge: Enables ultra-fine-grained access while automatically batching payments into time-bound access grants. This allows per-access fairness without impractical per-call settlements. x402: Allows theoretical per-request micropayments, but lacks built-in batching or subscription abstraction. Real-world scalability requires additional middleware. Feature: Integration complexity ApiCharge: Requires no custom development. It functions as a drop-in reverse proxy where you declare routes and QoS policies to monetize any service immediately. x402: Requires developer effort to implement HTTP 402 handling, payment verification, and request gating within the application code. Feature: Quality of service and rate limiting ApiCharge: Fully integrated. Supports rate limits, bandwidth and stream caps, and service tiers linked directly to pricing and access tokens, enabling QoS-based pricing. x402: The protocol does not define QoS. Enforcement must be implemented separately by the application. Feature: Settlement speed and latency ApiCharge: Provides ultra-fast settlement using Circle APIs or Stellar operations, typically completing within seconds and suitable for real-time access control. x402: Settlement speed depends on the blockchain and provider used. Without centralized settlement support, latency is higher or more variable. Feature: Vendor philosophy ApiCharge: Aims to democratize digital service monetization so that any provider can gate and charge for APIs or content with minimal setup. It is open, vendor-neutral, and not tied to a specific stablecoin issuer. x402: Focused on protocol standardization led by Coinbase and Circle partners to enable machine-to-machine payments across their ecosystem. ApiCharge vs x402 — Conceptual Summary Category: Abstraction level ApiCharge: Provides both infrastructure and protocol. It is a production-ready reverse proxy with enforcement, billing, and QoS. x402: Specifies a protocol only. Implementers must supply backend logic themselves. Category: User effort ApiCharge: Declarative and low-code or no-code deployment. x402: Requires developer-led integration, middleware, or SDK usage. Category: Economic model ApiCharge: Time-bound access, data-based pricing, and QoS-linked tiers for flexible monetization. x402: Per-request micropayments with batching left to implementers. Category: Focus ApiCharge: Practical monetization and access control for APIs, AI models, and content distribution. x402: Payment standardization and agent interoperability. Category: Ecosystem stance ApiCharge: Open, vendor-neutral, chain-independent through stablecoin abstraction. x402: Ecosystem-driven specification; chain and provider choice varies by implementation. Summary insight ApiCharge is an operational implementation of the HTTP 402 payment paradigm, combining enforcement, batching, settlement, and QoS management into a working proxy architecture. x402 is a protocol specification describing how such payments should occur, leaving the actual enforcement and infrastructure to developers. ApiCharge therefore represents a production-ready, infrastructure-level realization of the 402 Payment Required concept, whereas x402 defines the interoperable language by which such interactions can happen. Optional disclosure text This comparison is based on publicly available documentation and observed behavior of the systems as of 2025. All trademarks and product names belong to their respective owners. The intent of this material is technical differentiation, not endorsement or criticism.

Why Choose ApiCharge

A revolutionary approach to API monetization with unmatched benefits

Pay-Per-Use Monetization

Transform your API or AI model into a revenue-generating service with minimal friction. Customers pay only for what they use, by the minute.

Flexible Quality of Service

Unprecedented flexibility and control over service levels and pricing strategy: the network integrated ApiCharge component takes care of quality of service, allowing you to change pricing without affecting existing customers. .

Stablecoin Settlement

Mitigate FX volatility using EURC and USDC stablecoin settlement, or use the nanosubscription feature to dynamically control pricing in realtime.

Full Protocol Support

Handles HTTP, WebSockets, gRPC, SSE and more with automatic rate limiting and quality of service controls.

Secure by Design

Built on Stellar blockchain technology ensuring secure transactions with cryptographic verification of all access grants.

Micro-Transaction Fees

Transaction fees as low as 0.25 cents, making it economically viable for even the smallest service purchases.

Why ApiCharge is Different

A pricing platform, not just a payment gateway. Dynamic pricing strategies, service-level differentiation, and revenue optimization—controlled by business teams, enforced by infrastructure.

No Code, No Waiting

Other stablecoin monetization approaches require developers to integrate SDKs, build payment flows, and wait for ecosystem adoption. ApiCharge is ready-to-use infrastructure—deploy pre-configured servers for ML models, video streaming, file sharing, or existing APIs. Technical teams can integrate it with their services, while non-technical users can select templates, upload their content or models, and start earning. No coding required.

Change Pricing Freely, Honor Past Promises

When customers purchase access, their service level is cryptographically guaranteed. You can introduce new pricing tiers or adjust future offerings, but existing customers' purchased quality of service remains protected—eliminating the trust issues and pricing disputes that arise when service providers change terms after payment. ApiCharge enforces these guarantees at the infrastructure level, not through policy alone.

Business Teams Control Pricing

Configure pricing strategies through intuitive desktop and mobile apps—no technical expertise needed. Business teams can set service tiers, adjust bandwidth limits, create subscription packages, and publish to the marketplace without involving developers. Engineers deploy the infrastructure once; pricing strategy remains in business hands where it belongs.

How ApiCharge Subscriptions Work

A simple, yet powerful protocol that connects service providers with consumers

1

Request Quotes

Client requests service quotes from ApiCharge server

2

Select Route

Client chooses a service route with desired quality of service

3

Purchase Access

Secure payment with micro-fees (as low as 0.25¢) settles in 2-3 seconds

4

Access Service

Client uses the token to access API services with agreed QoS

Learn More About Security Architecture

Transformative Use Cases

ApiCharge enables new business models across multiple domains

AI Model Monetization

AI Model Monetization

Deploy AI models with TensorFlow Serving or TorchServe wrapped with ApiCharge for immediate monetization. Offer pay-per-prediction pricing without complex infrastructure.

Content Delivery

Content Delivery

Enable micropayments for articles, research, news and premium content. Let users pay for exactly what they consume without subscription barriers and without embedded advertising.

Cloud Off-Ramping

Cloud Off-Ramping

Create decentralized alternatives to cloud services with direct monetization. Build an ecosystem of independent service providers earning from their infrastructure.

Game Services

Game Services

Monetize game servers, APIs, and in-game services with frictionless micropayments. Alternative to ad-based or subscription revenue models.

Media Streaming

Media Streaming

Offer audio and video streaming with variable quality tiers based on bitrate. Enable artists and creators to monetize their content directly without platform intermediaries.

Data APIs and Databases

Data APIs and Databases

Monetize access to specialized databases, financial data, weather information, or other data resources with tiered access levels controlled by quality of service parameters.

Get Started with ApiCharge

We're building out comprehensive resources including tutorials, video guides, technical documentation, and integration examples. In the meantime, we're here to help—whether you need technical guidance, want to explore partnership opportunities, or have questions about implementation.

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