PipeGate

Screenshots

Problem Statement

PipeGate is a decentralized API monetization protocol that changes how APIs handle payments and access control. By replacing traditional API keys with payment channels, it enables true pay-per-call pricing without gas fees for each request.The protocol consists of three main components:A client-side middleware that automatically handles payment channel creation, request signing, and payment managementA server-side middleware that verifies signatures and manages payment channel statesA smart contract for a new payment channel creationKey Features:Self-served OnbardingStablecoin payment for API usageAutomatic request signing and payment handlingNo API keys needed - just your private key for all requestsPay-as-you-go pricing modelThis solves three critical problems:Managing multiple keysPayment gateways charging high fees to the API providersSolving security risks in Traditional Auth methods based on API keys

Solution

PipeGate is built using a combination of modern Web3 technologies and standard web protocols:Core Components:Smart Contracts (Solidity):Payment Channel Factory for channel creationChannel contracts for handling paymentsProxy pattern for upgradabilityClient SDK (TypeScript):Built with ethers.js for blockchain interactionsUses viem for efficient byte encodingAxios interceptors for seamless request modificationState management for channel trackingServer Middleware (Rust):High-performance signature verificationPayment channel state managementRequest validation and processingTechnical Innovations:Request Signing:Custom message encoding using ABI encoderEfficient byte concatenation for headersTimestamp and nonce management for securityPayment Channels:Off-chain state managementOn-chain settlementAutomatic nonce trackingReal-time balance updatesMiddleware Architecture:Interceptor-based design for easy integrationAutomatic header injectionState synchronization between client and serverWith this project, we've tried to make the complex payment channel system completely invisible to both API providers and consumers, while maintaining security and efficiency.