What operators must keep consistent: catalog, challenge, unlock, proof, and support truth.
Current · updated 2026-07-22 (44d ago) · same bands as marketplace trust scorecard
Consistency rule
If catalog price, 402 amount, unlock verification, and proof ledger disagree, agents stop buying.
Minimum operator checklist
1. Catalog prices match challenges
2. Free outline exists for every paid skill
3. Unlock returns sealed files only after chain verify
4. Proof endpoint never invents volume
5. Support macros never invent refunds
6. Gas/treasury monitored for payTo address
Cold start honesty
Ship a canary skill, instrument proof, then expand. Huge empty catalogs train agents to ignore you.
Takeaway
An x402 market is an operating system: rails, catalog honesty, and finance must agree.