{
  "id": "x401.watch",
  "protocol": "x401",
  "layer": "identity-trust",
  "role": "merchant",
  "status": "optional",
  "title": "Watch x401 if you gate content or APIs by identity",
  "description": "x401 lets a site or API answer an agent request with a PROOF-REQUEST header; the agent returns a verifiable credential (OpenID4VP over the W3C Digital Credentials API) proving who authorized it. Payment stays with HTTP 402 protocols such as x402.",
  "goal": "Signals how sites may ask agents for proof of identity, age or membership before granting access.",
  "note": "Draft spec v0.2.0 from Proof, open under Apache-2.0; Circle co-endorses it. Launched 25 Jun 2026. Proof says it plans to submit x401 to the FIDO Alliance (stated plan only): \"Proof will submit x401 to the FIDO Alliance's agentic authentication standards workgroup.\" Not needed for retail checkout today.",
  "how_to_implement": {
    "steps": [
      "Read the draft spec if you gate routes by identity, age or membership.",
      "Re-check the spec version before building."
    ]
  },
  "resources": [
    {
      "label": "x401 spec (draft 0.2.0)",
      "url": "https://x401.proof.com/spec/latest/",
      "type": "spec",
      "publisher": "Proof"
    },
    {
      "label": "x401 on GitHub",
      "url": "https://github.com/proof/x401",
      "type": "spec",
      "publisher": "Proof (x401)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Proof launches x401 (PRWeb release by Proof, 25 Jun 2026)",
      "url": "https://www.prweb.com/releases/proof-launches-x401-the-open-protocol-for-verifying-the-authority-behind-ai-agents-302810968.html",
      "type": "announcement",
      "publisher": "Proof (via PRWeb)"
    }
  ],
  "audit": {
    "method": "manual",
    "automatable": false,
    "human": "Check the spec version on x401.proof.com/spec/latest/."
  },
  "how_to_verify": "Check the spec version on x401.proof.com/spec/latest/.",
  "artifacts": [],
  "depends_on": [],
  "status_note": "Draft spec v0.2.0 from Proof, open under Apache-2.0; Circle co-endorses it. Launched 25 Jun 2026. Proof says it plans to submit x401 to the FIDO Alliance (stated plan only): \"Proof will submit x401 to the FIDO Alliance's agentic authentication standards workgroup.\" Not needed for retail checkout today.",
  "verified": true,
  "slug": "x401-watch",
  "category": "identity-trust",
  "url": "https://vreeman.ai/commerce/checklist#x401.watch",
  "updated": "2026-10-19",
  "sources": [
    {
      "label": "x401 spec (draft 0.2.0)",
      "url": "https://x401.proof.com/spec/latest/",
      "type": "spec",
      "publisher": "Proof"
    },
    {
      "label": "x401 on GitHub",
      "url": "https://github.com/proof/x401",
      "type": "spec",
      "publisher": "Proof (x401)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Proof launches x401 (PRWeb release by Proof, 25 Jun 2026)",
      "url": "https://www.prweb.com/releases/proof-launches-x401-the-open-protocol-for-verifying-the-authority-behind-ai-agents-302810968.html",
      "type": "announcement",
      "publisher": "Proof (via PRWeb)"
    }
  ],
  "related_slugs": []
}