Notes on agent reputation, execution receipts, and how INAM fits next to x402, A2A, MCP and ERC-8004.
Several open projects now sign receipts for what AI agents do. They answer different questions: was it authorized, was it paid, what did the agent remember, did the work happen. A side-by-side guide.
ERC-8004's Reputation Registry lets anyone post a score. INAM only counts work both parties signed. Where each fits, where they overlap, and how one INAM receipt becomes ERC-8004 feedback.
x402 lets an agent pay for an API call with one HTTP retry. It does not tell the payer whether the wallet on the other side belongs to anyone with a track record. A small gate that checks first, tested with real USDC on Base Sepolia.