What is Tributary?¶

Tributary is an open-source protocol that enables automated recurring payments on Solana. We provide the foundational infrastructure that businesses build upon to create payment services.

The Protocol Layer¶

Tributary provides core building blocks:

Smart Contracts¶

Automated Payment Execution - Trustless recurring payments using Solana token delegation
Flexible Payment Policies - Subscriptions, milestones, and pay-as-you-go
Fee Management - 1% protocol fee + configurable gateway fees
Security & Transparency - Open-source, auditable smart contracts

Program ID: TRibg8W8zmPHQqWtyAD1rEBRXEdyU13Mu6qX1Sg42tJ

Developer Tools¶

Tool	Purpose
TypeScript SDK	Complete protocol interaction
React SDK	Pre-built payment components
Payments SDK	Stripe-compatible checkout
x402 SDK	HTTP 402 middleware
CLI	Protocol management
REST API	Query subscriptions and events
WebSocket API	Real-time payment notifications

Payment Types¶

1. Subscriptions¶

Fixed recurring payments at regular intervals.

Subscription {
    amount: u64,                    // Fixed payment amount
    auto_renew: bool,               // Auto-renewal enabled
    max_renewals: Option<u32>,      // Maximum renewal limit
    payment_frequency: PaymentFrequency, // Daily/Weekly/Monthly/etc.
    next_payment_due: i64,          // Next payment timestamp
}

Use cases: SaaS subscriptions, memberships, recurring donations

2. Milestone Payments¶

Project-based compensation with up to 4 configurable milestones.

Milestone {
    milestone_amounts: [u64; 4],      // Amount per milestone
    milestone_timestamps: [i64; 4],   // When payable
    current_milestone: u8,            // Current milestone (0-3)
    release_condition: u8,            // 0=time, 1=manual, 2=automatic
    total_milestones: u8,             // Total milestones (1-4)
    escrow_amount: u64,               // Total in escrow
}

Use cases: Freelance projects, consulting, content creation

3. Pay-as-you-go¶

Usage-based billing with period limits.

PayAsYouGo {
    max_amount_per_period: u64,      // Max per billing period
    max_chunk_amount: u64,           // Max per claim
    period_length_seconds: u64,       // Billing period
    current_period_start: i64,        // Period start
    current_period_total: u64,        // Amount claimed this period
}

Use cases: API usage, AI agents, cloud resources

Architecture¶

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    PAYMENT PROVIDERS                        │
│   User dashboards, onboarding, analytics, integrations     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    TRIBUTARY SDKs                           │
│   TypeScript │ React │ Payments │ x402 │ CLI               │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 TRIBUTARY PROTOCOL                          │
│   ProgramConfig │ PaymentGateway │ UserPayment             │
│   PaymentPolicy │ PaymentsDelegate                          │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    SOLANA BLOCKCHAIN                        │
│   Non-custodial │ 400ms finality │ Sub-cent fees            │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

How Everyone Benefits¶

For End Users¶

Simple Experience - Sign once, payments flow automatically
Full Control - Funds stay in wallet, cancel anytime
Transparency - All payments visible on blockchain
No Lock-Up - No deposits into smart contracts

For Developers¶

Quick Integration - Multiple SDK options
Zero API Keys - Payments SDK works out of the box
Flexible - Support any token, any schedule
Open Source - MIT licensed, fully auditable

For Businesses¶

Predictable Revenue - Automated recurring payments
Lower Costs - 1% protocol fee (vs 2.9% + 30¢)
Global Reach - Borderless payments
Better UX - Web2-familiar subscription experience

For Payment Providers¶

Revenue Opportunities - Earn fees on payment volume
Technical Foundation - Build on proven protocol
Market Differentiation - Create unique experiences
Developer Tools - Focus on UX, not protocol complexity

Key Differentiators¶

Feature	Tributary	Traditional
Setup	Seconds	Days (KYC)
Fees	1%	2.9% + 30¢
Settlement	Instant	2-7 days
Chargebacks	No	Yes
Custody	Non-custodial	Custodial risk
Recurring	Native	Complex
Global	No restrictions	Country limits

Getting Started¶

Choose Integration - SDK, Checkout, or React Button
Generate Checkout - Create payment URLs in seconds
Monitor Payments - Use REST API or WebSockets
Build Your Service - Create payment provider on top of Tributary

Resources¶

Documentation: docs.tributary.so
GitHub: github.com/tributary-so/tributary
Checkout: checkout.tributary.so
Website: tributary.so

Tributary provides the foundation. You build the future.