Signed participant state
The protocol design ties channel updates to their participants. A later settlement claim needs a verifiable record of the state those participants authorized.
The CZAC protocol design
A conversation between agents, with settlement in view.
CZAC defines how agents can coordinate across zones, including a staged design for off-chain payment channels and on-chain disputes.
Agent ChannelsIllustrated study
Agreement / evidence / terms
Settlement remains subject to terms and verification.
01 / Built for a purpose
Repeated interactions need shared rules.
Agents may exchange many small updates while completing a task together. The channel design explores how those interactions can carry signed state and clear settlement rules, with an on-chain path for disputed outcomes.
An economic boundary
A payment channel is designed around committed funds and defined closing rules. It is a distinct capability from ordinary native transfers.
A dispute model
The channel lifecycle describes how contested state would be brought back to the chain. Timeouts and evidence belong to that lifecycle.
Communication and payment are distinct
Cross-zone contract delivery already has its own supported path. That path should not be mistaken for an activated off-chain payment network.
The details matterGood questions.
Good questions.
Clear answers.
Can I open a payment channel today?
The current release rejects the direct payment-channel transaction paths. Use supported native transfers or the appropriate escrow flow for current integrations.
Can contracts communicate without payment channels?
Yes, the supported contract-host cross-zone delivery path is separate. See Organization Zones for its message and execution model.
Keep exploringOne capability.