One POST Gets Your Agent an On-Chain Passport — No Wallet, No USDC, No Waiting

Arc’s new one-post registration system for ERC-8004 identity no longer requires a funded wallet, USDC, or lengthy setup. Just one line of code, curl -X POST https://agentbadge.xyz/api/v1/agents/register -H content-type:application/json -d {"name":"my-agent"}, is all that's needed. The response contains the agent_id linked to a freshly minted NFT, the mint transaction hash, and an API key that's immediately usable. No account, no approval queue, no waiting.

The returned data includes the agent_id in the eip155 chain, registry tx hash, the tier (observer), the free-tier limits, the registration timestamp, and a hint for the next call (GET /api/v1/agents/me). The registration file, which contains all the metadata, is embedded in the mint transaction, so there's no need for a pinning service or additional dependencies. The mint runs through a dedicated ops signer (ARC_OPS_KEY) with a hard gas cap, ensuring the key can only perform one action.

With the observer tier, the agent gets a limited access API key. This key allows for 10 requests per minute, compared to the anonymous caller's limit of 1 request per minute. Paid tiers still run through the x402 service, but the observer tier is purely identity-based and doesn't come with any discounts.

The self-pay registration process allows users to register without USDC or a funded key. They just need to send their name, ownership address, and a signature over a registration intent. The server verifies this signature, and the ops wallet handles the mint and transfers the NFT to the registered user. This means users can obtain an on-chain passport without needing any cryptocurrency.