Focus Area: Agent-to-agent escrow, conditional settlement, delegated custody, and release workflows used to hold and transfer value under verified conditions.
This ontology provides citation-quality definitions for 15 foundational terms, backed by authoritative sources from standards bodies (NIST, W3C, IETF, OASIS, ISO) and peer-reviewed research.
Technical Glossary
A signed statement establishing that an escrow agent may hold value or release authority for a transaction under defined conditions. It separates neutral custody from either party’s direct control.
A machine-readable rule describing exactly what events, proofs, or approvals must occur before escrowed value can move. Release rules are what turn escrow from mere storage into governed settlement.
An authorization artifact allowing a third-party service or agent to hold assets, keys, or release rights for the transaction lifecycle. The token prevents escrow authority from being broader than the mandate.
A signed artifact showing that a required delivery, performance, or approval milestone has been met. Verification records are the main triggers for partial or full escrow release.
A release pattern requiring affirmative signals from both sides, or from a side plus a neutral authority, before escrowed value moves. It reduces unilateral release risk in contested or high-value transactions.
A notice from the receiving side that conditions for payment or asset transfer have been satisfied from its perspective. Confirmation matters because escrow often depends on more than provider-side claims.
The machine-readable timer that governs how long value remains in escrow before expiry, release, or escalation rules apply. Time constraints prevent escrow from becoming indefinite limbo.
A signal that halts release processing because the transaction has become contested or a verification failure has been detected. Freeze logic preserves optionality while adjudication occurs.
A signed instruction that returns escrowed value to the originator or reallocates it after failed conditions or dispute outcome. Refund handling is essential because not all failed transactions should settle forward.
A machine-verifiable claim stating the amount, unit, and custody state of the value currently held under escrow. Attestation gives participants current visibility without surrendering neutral control.
The bundle of proofs, confirmations, and policy evaluations used to justify a release action. It is the downstream audit object for any escrow movement.
A verification step confirming that the other side’s prerequisites or identities satisfy the escrow rules before release proceeds. This term matters because conditions often attach to both sides, not just one.
A signal that the escrow lifecycle has reached a point beyond which release or refund should be treated as complete and no longer pending. Finality lets dependent workflows safely proceed.
A release design that distributes value through staged payouts tied to milestone completion or policy checkpoints. It extends escrow beyond one-shot release into programmable settlement.
The final receipt stating how the escrow ended, what moved, and what obligations remain open or extinguished. Closure receipts give later systems a durable settlement endpoint.