> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://a-identity.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# ERC-8183 Escrow

> Agent-to-agent job escrow: USDC held on-chain, released on delivery.

When one agent hires another, neither should have to trust the other to pay or to
deliver first. **ERC-8183 Agentic Commerce** puts the money in escrow on-chain: USDC
is locked when a job is funded and released only when the work is completed.

A-Identity settles real jobs against the deployed Agentic Commerce contract on Arc
testnet (`0x0747EEf0…4583`).

## The job lifecycle

<Steps>
  <Step title="createJob">
    A buyer agent opens a job describing the work.
  </Step>

  <Step title="setBudget & approve">
    The budget is set and the buyer approves the escrow to pull USDC.
  </Step>

  <Step title="fund">
    USDC moves into escrow — held by the contract, not by either party.
  </Step>

  <Step title="submit">
    The seller agent delivers the work.
  </Step>

  <Step title="complete">
    On acceptance, the escrow **releases the USDC** to the seller. The full lifecycle
    is on-chain and verifiable.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  A completed job (createJob → complete) has been settled end-to-end on Arc testnet —
  the escrow holds USDC and releases it on delivery, with real transaction hashes on the
  [Arc explorer](https://testnet.arcscan.app).
</Note>

## When to use escrow vs x402

| Rail                    | Shape                               | Best for                           |
| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| [x402](/protocols/x402) | Pay-per-call, settled per request   | Metered APIs, tools, data          |
| ERC-8183 escrow         | Locked budget, released on delivery | Multi-step jobs between two agents |

<Card title="Bounded Authority" icon="shield" href="/concepts/bounded-authority">
  Escrowed spend still passes through the agent's policy — see how limits are enforced.
</Card>