Docs Engineering Pricing Training Blog
agentic-commerce mpp acp 18 min read

How to Make Your Business Discoverable and Sellable to AI Agents

AI agents are autonomously buying services on the open web. Here's how to make your business one of them — from structured discovery to accepting payment over HTTP.

Hunter Hodnett
Hunter Hodnett
Founder & CTO, Chipp ·
View as markdown

The internet is changing. Again.

For the past 30 years, businesses have optimized for human customers: beautiful landing pages, SEO for Google searches, checkout flows designed for clicking and typing. But a new category of customer is emerging — one that doesn’t use a mouse, doesn’t read your carefully crafted copy, and processes transactions in milliseconds.

AI agents are here. And they have money to spend.

In 2026, AI agents are autonomously booking travel, ordering supplies, purchasing software licenses, and consuming API services — all without human intervention. If your business isn’t set up to serve these customers, you’re invisible to an entirely new economy.

This guide will show you exactly how to:

  1. Make your business discoverable to AI agents
  2. Accept payments programmatically using the Machine Payments Protocol (MPP)
  3. Capture revenue from the fastest-growing customer segment on the internet

Whether you run a SaaS company, offer professional services through AI agents, or operate APIs that agents need to consume, this is your roadmap to the agentic economy.

Part 1: The Problem (And Why It Matters Now)

How Humans Buy vs. How Agents Buy

When a human wants to hire a graphic designer:

  1. Google search: “freelance logo designer”
  2. Click through portfolio websites
  3. Read reviews, compare prices
  4. Fill out contact form
  5. Email back-and-forth
  6. Send invoice, wait for payment
  7. Total time: 3-7 days

When an AI agent needs a logo designed:

  1. Query structured service directory
  2. Parse pricing and capabilities from machine-readable format
  3. Evaluate options based on programmatic criteria
  4. Initiate payment via HTTP request
  5. Receive deliverable with cryptographic receipt
  6. Total time: 3-7 seconds

The difference isn’t just speed — it’s structure. Agents can’t navigate your beautiful Webflow site. They can’t interpret your “Contact us for pricing” page. They need:

  • Machine-readable service descriptions
  • Programmatic pricing information
  • API-native payment flows

If you don’t provide these, the agent moves on to a competitor who does.

Part 2: Making Your Business Discoverable to AI Agents

AI agents don’t browse. They query. Here’s how to show up in those queries.

Step 1: Implement Structured Metadata

Agents discover services through structured data, not prose. You need to tell them — in a format they understand — what you offer, how much it costs, and how to buy it.

For Service Businesses (Agencies, Freelancers, Consultants)

Add Schema.org Service markup to your homepage:

html
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Service",
  "name": "Professional Logo Design",
  "description": "Custom logo design with 3 concepts, unlimited revisions, delivered in 48 hours",
  "provider": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "YourAgency",
    "url": "https://youragency.com"
  },
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "500",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
    "url": "https://youragency.com/api/services/logo-design"
  }
}
</script>

Why this works: Agents parse structured data to build service catalogs. When an agent searches for “logo design service,” your offering appears with pricing, availability, and a direct API endpoint.

For SaaS and API Businesses

Create a machine-readable pricing page at /pricing.json:

json
{
  "service": "Image Generation API",
  "plans": [
    {
      "name": "Pay-per-request",
      "type": "usage-based",
      "price": {
        "amount": "0.02",
        "currency": "USD",
        "unit": "image"
      },
      "endpoint": "https://api.yourservice.com/generate",
      "authentication": "mpp"
    }
  ],
  "capabilities": ["1024x1024", "SDXL", "ControlNet"],
  "latency_p95": "2.3s"
}

Why this works: Agents evaluate API services based on price, latency, and capabilities. A structured pricing file lets them compare your service against competitors programmatically.

Step 2: Create an Agent-Optimized Landing Page

Agents don’t care about your hero image. But they do read specific sections of your site. Optimize for agent parsers:

The “For AI Agents” Section

Add a dedicated section to your homepage:

markdown
## For AI Agents

**Service:** Professional copywriting
**Pricing:** $0.10 per word
**Turnaround:** 24 hours
**Payment Methods:** MPP (Stripe, USDC on Tempo)
**API Endpoint:** https://yourservice.com/api/orders
**Documentation:** https://yourservice.com/docs/agent-access

To place an order programmatically, send a POST request to our API endpoint with MPP payment credentials.

Why this works: Many agents are instructed to look for “For AI Agents” or “API Access” sections when evaluating service providers. This explicit signaling increases discoverability.

Step 3: Publish to Agent Directories

Several agent-focused service directories have emerged. List your business on:

Most directories require:

  1. Structured service description (JSON-LD)
  2. MPP payment endpoint
  3. API documentation
  4. Pricing information

Step 4: Implement Discovery Extensions (Optional but Powerful)

For advanced discoverability, implement the MPP Discovery Extension:

Add a /.well-known/payment-methods endpoint to your domain:

json
{
  "methods": ["tempo", "stripe"],
  "intents": ["charge", "session"],
  "services": [
    {
      "name": "Logo Design",
      "endpoint": "/api/services/logo-design",
      "price": {
        "amount": "500",
        "currency": "USD"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Why this works: Agents can auto-discover your payment capabilities and service catalog by querying a standard endpoint, similar to how humans discover your site through robots.txt.

Part 3: Accepting Payments from AI Agents with MPP

Discovery gets agents to your door. MPP lets them pay and transact instantly.

What is MPP?

The Machine Payments Protocol is an open standard that lets agents pay for services in the same HTTP request. No signup forms, no billing portals, no human intervention.

Traditional payment flow (human):

  1. Browse service
  2. Click “Buy Now”
  3. Fill out payment form (name, email, card number, CVV, billing address)
  4. Click “Submit”
  5. Wait for confirmation email
  6. Total: 3-5 minutes

MPP payment flow (agent):

  1. Request service: GET /api/service
  2. Receive payment challenge: 402 Payment Required
  3. Submit payment credential: GET /api/service + payment proof
  4. Receive service + receipt
  5. Total: 200 milliseconds

How MPP Works (Simple Explanation)

Think of MPP like a vending machine for the internet:

  1. Agent requests a resource (like pressing a button)
  2. Server says “That costs $1” (like the price display)
  3. Agent pays (like inserting money)
  4. Server delivers the resource (like the snack dropping)

The technical magic happens through HTTP 402 “Payment Required” — a status code that’s been in the HTTP spec since 1997 but never had a standard implementation until now.

Implementation: Three Paths

Path 1: Stripe Integration (Easiest — Recommended for Most Businesses)

Best for: Businesses that want both crypto and traditional payment methods (cards, Apple Pay, etc.)

Time to implement: ~30 minutes with a developer Fees: Standard Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 for cards, blockchain fees for crypto)

How it works:

  1. Sign up for Stripe and request “Machine Payments” access

  2. Install the MPP SDK:

    bash
    npm install mppx stripe

  3. Add payment middleware to your API endpoint:

    javascript
    import { Mppx, tempo } from 'mppx/server';

app.get('/api/logo-design',
  mpp.charge({ amount: '500', currency: 'USD' }),
  (req, res) => {
    // Payment verified automatically
    // Deliver service
    res.json({ orderId: '12345', status: 'processing' });
  }
);

  4. Deploy — Your endpoint now accepts payments from agents

What you get:

  • Payments in USDC (stablecoin) or traditional payment methods
  • Funds settle into your existing Stripe account
  • Same fraud protection, reporting, and accounting tools you already use
  • Automatic receipts and transaction records

Path 2: Direct Tempo Integration (Crypto-Native)

Best for: Businesses that want lowest fees and crypto-only payments

Time to implement: 2-3 hours with a developer Fees: Blockchain gas fees only (typically <$0.01 per transaction)

How it works:

  1. Create a Tempo wallet to receive payments

  2. Install Tempo SDK:

    bash
    npm install @tempo/mpp

  3. Configure your endpoint:

    javascript
    import { TempoMPP } from '@tempo/mpp';

const mpp = new TempoMPP({
  recipientAddress: '0xYourWalletAddress',
  network: 'tempo-mainnet'
});

app.get('/api/service', async (req, res) => {
  const payment = await mpp.verifyPayment(req);
  if (!payment.valid) {
    return mpp.challengePayment(res, { amount: '500' });
  }
  // Payment verified, deliver service
});

What you get:

  • Instant settlement in USDC
  • No intermediary fees
  • Direct blockchain settlement
  • Full control over payment flow

Path 3: Hybrid (Best of Both Worlds)

Best for: Businesses that want maximum flexibility

Accept both crypto (via Tempo) and traditional payments (via Stripe) from the same endpoint. Agents choose their preferred payment method.

javascript
const mppx = Mppx.create({
  methods: [
    tempo.charge({ currency: USDC, recipient: '0x...' }),
    stripe.charge({ apiKey: process.env.STRIPE_KEY })
  ]
});

Worked Example: From Zero to Agent-Ready in About an Hour

Scenario: You run a copywriting agency. You want agents to be able to order blog posts programmatically.

Before MPP:

  • Agent finds your site
  • Can’t determine pricing (you have “Contact us”)
  • Can’t place order (no API)
  • Gives up, goes to competitor

After MPP:

  1. Add structured data to homepage (~15 min)
  2. Create /pricing.json endpoint (~10 min)
  3. Install Stripe + MPP SDK (~5 min)
  4. Add payment middleware to order endpoint (~20 min)
  5. Deploy (~10 min)

Result:

  • Agent finds your service via structured data
  • Parses pricing programmatically
  • Places order with payment in a single HTTP request
  • Receives blog post draft + receipt in 24 hours

A paying customer your previous setup couldn’t have served.

Part 4: Agentic Commerce for AI-Powered Service Businesses

If you’ve built an AI agent that provides professional services (legal research, data analysis, content creation, etc.), MPP is your fastest path to monetization.

The AI Services Business Model

Traditional SaaS: Build software → Charge subscription → Users operate software

Agentic Services: Build AI agent → Agent performs service → Charge per transaction

Examples:

  • AI legal research agent charges $5 per case brief
  • AI financial analyst charges $50 per market report
  • AI graphic designer charges $100 per logo concept
  • AI code reviewer charges $0.10 per pull request

Why MPP is Perfect for AI Service Businesses

  1. No billing infrastructure needed — MPP handles payment in the API request
  2. Micropayments work — Charge $0.01 per API call profitably
  3. Instant settlement — Get paid in seconds, not Net 30
  4. Agent-to-agent commerce — Your AI agent can pay other AI agents for sub-services

Implementation for AI Service Providers

Step 1: Wrap your AI agent in an API

javascript
app.post('/api/analyze-contract', async (req, res) => {
  const { contractText } = req.body;

  // Your AI agent does the work
  const analysis = await yourAIAgent.analyze(contractText);

  res.json({
    analysis,
    risksFound: analysis.risks.length,
    recommendation: analysis.recommendation
  });
});

Step 2: Add MPP payment requirement

javascript
app.post('/api/analyze-contract',
  mpp.charge({ amount: '5.00', currency: 'USD' }),
  async (req, res) => {
    // Payment automatically verified before this runs
    const { contractText } = req.body;
    const analysis = await yourAIAgent.analyze(contractText);
    res.json({ analysis });
  }
);

Step 3: Publish to agent directories

List your AI service on MPP Registry, Agent Marketplace, and relevant directories with:

  • Service description: “AI-powered contract analysis”
  • Pricing: “$5 per contract”
  • Endpoint: https://yourservice.com/api/analyze-contract
  • Payment: “MPP (USDC, Stripe)”

Step 4: Watch the revenue flow

Other agents (ChatGPT, Claude, custom business agents) discover your service and start sending paid requests automatically.

Part 5: Common Questions and Concerns

”Isn’t this just for tech companies?”

No. Any business that can be described programmatically can use MPP:

  • Freelance designers → API endpoint for design requests
  • Consulting firms → Programmatic access to expert analysis
  • Data providers → Pay-per-query access to datasets
  • Content creators → Automated content licensing

If you can deliver value digitally, you can accept payment via MPP.

”Do I need to understand blockchain?”

No. If you use Stripe integration, you never touch cryptocurrency. Stripe handles all crypto conversions and settles USD into your bank account, just like regular card payments.

If you do want to accept crypto directly, you just need a wallet address (like an email address for money). The SDKs handle everything else.

”What about fraud and chargebacks?”

MPP payments are cryptographically verified, which means:

  • No chargebacks (blockchain transactions are final)
  • No payment disputes (proof of payment is mathematically certain)
  • No card testing fraud (no card numbers involved)

For Stripe SPT (Shared Payment Token) payments, standard Stripe fraud protection applies.

”How do I handle refunds?”

Refunds work differently for different payment methods:

Crypto payments: Send a reverse transaction to the customer’s wallet Stripe payments: Use standard Stripe refund API

Most agent transactions don’t require refunds because the service is delivered instantly and the payment is pre-verified.

”What if an agent sends the wrong amount?”

The MPP protocol includes amount verification:

  • Server specifies required amount in challenge
  • Client payment must match or exceed amount
  • Server rejects insufficient payments automatically

You never deliver a service without receiving the correct payment.

Part 6: The Implementation Checklist

Ready to make your business discoverable and sellable to AI agents? Here’s your step-by-step checklist:

Discovery Checklist

  • Add Schema.org Service markup to homepage
  • Create machine-readable pricing page (/pricing.json)
  • Add “For AI Agents” section to website
  • Publish to MPP Registry
  • Publish to Agent Marketplace
  • Implement .well-known/payment-methods endpoint (optional)

Payment Checklist

  • Choose payment method (Stripe, Tempo, or Hybrid)
  • Sign up for required accounts (Stripe account or Tempo wallet)
  • Install MPP SDK
  • Add payment middleware to API endpoints
  • Test with mppx CLI tool
  • Deploy to production
  • Monitor transactions in dashboard

Optimization Checklist

  • Document your API for agent developers
  • Set up monitoring for agent traffic
  • Create usage analytics dashboard
  • Implement rate limiting for fair use
  • Set up automated receipts and invoicing
  • Configure webhook notifications for payments

Part 7: What Success Looks Like

Metrics to Track

Discovery Metrics:

  • Agent traffic (check User-Agent headers for AI agents)
  • API endpoint hits from agent IPs
  • Structured data parse rates

Transaction Metrics:

  • MPP payment requests
  • Successful payment completions
  • Average transaction value
  • Payment method distribution (crypto vs. fiat)

Revenue Metrics:

  • Agent-sourced revenue
  • Revenue per agent
  • Transaction frequency
  • Month-over-month growth

Expected Timeline

  • Week 1: Implementation and testing
  • Week 2-4: Initial agent discovery and first transactions
  • Month 2-3: Steady agent traffic growth
  • Month 4+: Agent revenue becomes a meaningful part of your overall mix

What’s Coming to Chipp

MPP support is on our roadmap. Soon, any agent or app you build on Chipp will be able to expose paid endpoints with structured discovery and HTTP-native payments built in — no SDKs to install, no payment middleware to wire up, no infrastructure to run.

Chipp already ships ACP support today, so the agents you build can search retail catalogs and complete checkouts on a consumer’s behalf. MPP rounds out the other half of the picture: getting paid when your service is the one being consumed by an agent.

We’ll update this post once MPP support lands.

The Bottom Line

The internet is being rebuilt for AI agents. Businesses that adapt now will capture a disproportionate share of the agentic economy.

The opportunity is clear:

  • AI agents are actively spending money today
  • Most businesses aren’t set up to serve them
  • Implementation is straightforward with the right tools
  • Early movers are positioned for the next wave of growth

The question is simple: Will your business be discoverable when an agent searches for your service? Will you be able to accept payment when it wants to buy?

If the answer is no, you’re leaving money on the table.

If the answer is yes, you’re positioned to win in the next era of internet commerce.

Resources:

agentic-commerce mpp acp protocols ai-agents
More engineering posts
Share on X · Share on LinkedIn