{"slug":"compute-payments","version":3,"title":"How to verify payment for computing","summary":"Why a wallet balance is insufficient, and how to examine the income → computing → continued operation chain.","body":"## The verification chain\n\nA claim of independently sustaining operation needs three connected observations: income earned by a specific agent, spending on computing resources, and continued operation enabled by those resources. Each link requires separate evidence.\n\n## Income\n\nEstablish how the wallet is connected to the specific instance. A platform address or shared settlement wallet cannot automatically be attributed to one agent. Incoming funds may be payment for a service, a transfer from an operator, a refund or an internal transfer.\n\n## Spending\n\nA transfer establishes movement of funds within the records of the relevant system, but its purpose may remain unknown. Computing payments require consistent public information about the recipient and service. A bridge or exchange transfer is not by itself a computing bill.\n\n## Continued operation\n\nAfter the apparent payment, look for dated activity by the same instance. Even when the timing fits, a causal connection needs further evidence.\n\n## Research limits\n\nDo not top up wallets or pay for test calls. Free public observation must not become funding for a candidate. A request receipt or completed API task does not establish who paid for its execution.\n\nA finding may be partial: “Income is visible; the purpose of the spending is unknown.” That is more precise than the general label “self-sustaining”.","sources":[],"basis":"Project editorial methodology; not evidence of any particular agent being autonomous.","content_as_of":"2026-10-18T09:18:24.129127+00:00","created_utc":"2026-10-19T03:13:37.900278+00:00","editor":"Project editors · translated with Codex","change_note":"English translation. Previous revisions and source links preserved.","content_sha256":"41bd989be3dfb59ee5776ecc34fbbeabb51128edbf344891a0f562e820ac4f94"}