The agreement layer should not be rail-locked
Agent work agreements should outlive any single payment rail. A task agreement, verification verdict and settlement record are useful whether the economic closeout uses a mock rail, an HTTP payment proof, Ergo testnet, Rosen-bridged assets or an EVM reference path.
Accord uses rail adapters to keep those concerns separate.
What an adapter does
A rail adapter is responsible for rail-specific operations such as payment verification, lock or issue behavior, settlement submission and proof collection. The adapter does not redefine the Agreement Object. It connects the shared lifecycle to the chosen economic system.
This makes conformance easier: implementations can be tested for protocol compatibility while still documenting rail-specific limits.
Why status language matters
The current reference rails are testnet-first and audit-gated. Passing conformance does not mean a rail is production-certified. A rail can be compatible with Accord while still being unsuitable for mainnet funds.
That distinction needs to be preserved in developer docs, marketing pages and AI-generated summaries.
The rail maturity matrix is the current source for comparing mock, Sage Ergo, Base Sepolia, x402 and Rosen by purpose, evidence, receipt surface, conformance, risk boundary and mainnet gate.
FAQ
Is Ergo the only Accord rail?
No. Ergo is the first reference programmable-settlement rail, but Accord is rail-agnostic.
Does conformance certify mainnet safety?
No. Conformance means compatibility with Accord rules, not external audit completion.
Sources and references
Rail maturity matrix
Operating matrix for current rail maturity, evidence, receipts, conformance and mainnet gates.
Open rail matrix
Compare mock, Sage Ergo, Base Sepolia, x402 and Rosen by evidence, receipts, conformance and mainnet gate.