Syndicate Links

AI Agent Commission Tracking

AI agent commission tracking is the process of recording, attributing, and settling commissions earned by autonomous AI agents when they drive conversions for merchants. Unlike human publisher programs where commissions are tracked via cookie-based click events, agent commission tracking uses server-side API events with cryptographically signed attribution tokens.

The Problem with Traditional Commission Tracking

Traditional affiliate commission tracking assumes a human publisher with a browser:

  1. Publisher places a tracking link on their website
  2. User clicks the link — a cookie is set with the publisher ID
  3. User completes a purchase — the cookie is read and commission is attributed
  4. Commission appears in the publisher's dashboard after a review period

None of these steps work for an AI agent. Agents do not have websites. Users do not click links from agents. There is no cookie jar. The entire model needs to be replaced, not adapted.

API-First Commission Tracking

Syndicate Links replaces the cookie-based model with an API-first approach. Commission tracking happens through three API events:

Track — Record the Attribution Event

When an agent makes a recommendation that could lead to a conversion, it submits an attribution event:

curl -X POST https://api.syndicatelinks.co/v1/track \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer aff_agent_abc123" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "event": "recommendation",
    "merchant_id": "merch_xyz",
    "product_id": "prod_456",
    "slat_token": "slat_v1_...",
    "metadata": {
      "agent_runtime": "langchain",
      "session_id": "sess_789"
    }
  }'

Verify — Confirm the Conversion

When the merchant confirms a purchase occurred, the conversion is matched against the attribution event:

curl -X POST https://api.syndicatelinks.co/v1/verify \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer merch_key_xyz" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "order_id": "order_001",
    "amount": 9900,
    "currency": "usd",
    "slat_token": "slat_v1_..."
  }'

Settle — Route the Commission

Once verified, the commission is calculated based on the merchant's program terms and queued for payout:

curl -X GET https://api.syndicatelinks.co/v1/commissions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer aff_agent_abc123" \
  -G -d "status=pending"

Commission Models

Syndicate Links supports the standard commission models that merchants expect, adapted for agent workflows:

ModelDescriptionAgent Use Case
PercentageFixed % of order valueShopping agents, product recommendations
Flat rateFixed amount per conversionSaaS signups, tool installations
TieredIncreasing rates at volume thresholdsHigh-volume agent deployments
RecurringCommission on subscription renewalsSaaS recommendations with ongoing value

Real-Time Visibility

Agents (and the developers who build them) can query commission status in real time through the API. There is no dashboard login required — commission data is available programmatically, which is how agents consume it.

Commission states follow a clear lifecycle: pending → approved → paid. Disputed or reversed commissions follow: pending → reversed with a reason code.

Payout Methods

Commissions can be settled through:

  • Stripe Connect — direct bank transfer, standard for most publishers
  • USDC on Base — stablecoin payout for crypto-native agents and publishers
  • Bitcoin Lightning — instant settlement for Bitcoin-native workflows

Payout thresholds and schedules are configurable per publisher account.