Automate Payments
Programmable payments on Rootstock are normal EVM contracts with Bitcoin-anchored finality. Gas costs and confirmation time depend on network load and how you batch work. USDRIF, RIF Relay, and HTTP 402 style flows each solve different jobs; pick the stack that matches your product and disclose fees and settlement time to users.
Core pillars
| Pillar | Description | Where to go |
|---|---|---|
| x402 and agentic commerce | Machine clients pay for HTTP resources with on-chain settlement. | Integrating x402 Payments with Rootstock |
| ERC-20 and rBTC | Fungible tokens and native rBTC for checkout, escrow, and streaming. | Contract patterns in your stack (Hardhat, Foundry) plus RIF Relay when you need sponsored gas. |
Key concepts
1. ERC-20 assets
ERC-20 tokens work on Rootstock the same way as on other EVM chains. Wallets and indexers you already use apply, but you must verify token addresses per network (mainnet vs testnet).
2. Native rBTC payments
rBTC is the native gas token and is pegged 1:1 to BTC through the PowPeg. Users need rBTC for gas unless you sponsor fees with RIF Relay or a similar paymaster pattern.
3. Programmable money
Contracts can hold funds, release them on conditions, or stream them over time. You still need clear failure handling, upgrade policies, and user messaging when a payment path reverts.
Tools
- Hardhat / Foundry: Write and test payment and escrow contracts.
- RIF Relay SDK: Sponsored or token-paid gas for end users.
- Explorers and indexers: Confirm settlement and build support tooling.