DAO THANHTHIEN@haumino2835

Modern AI agents and cloud services increasingly rely on third-party APIs, yet cost control is still built on subscriptions, API keys, and post-paid billing. This creates a fundamental mismatch: machines can act autonomously, but spending cannot.SS SpendGuard introduces a gateway-based approach to API cost control using HTTP 402 (Payment Required) and the x402 payment pattern. Instead of trusting API keys or monthly limits, each request is evaluated against explicit budget and policy rules before execution. When a request exceeds policy or lacks payment, SpendGuard responds with a 402 boundary that includes payment instructions (USDC, amount, reference, expiry). Once payment is provided, the same request is allowed to proceed. This enables true pay-per-request access, suitable for autonomous agents, internal tools, and machine-to-machine commerce. SpendGuard is designed for scenarios where trustless enforcement, predictable spend, and granular control matter more than traditional subscriptions - such as AI agents, micro-services, and experimental workloads. This demo showcases a working x402 boundary implemented as a Next.js API route, demonstrating how real payment-gated APIs can be built today.

Join Deriv and lablab.ai for a high-intensity hybrid hackathon where top builders create AI prototypes, demo their work, and get fast-tracked to interviews. When • Sat, Jan 31, 2026- On-Site Pre-Hackathon: Deriv AI Meetup (Dubai) • Fri, Feb 6 - Opening words, Challenge, and Hackathon kick-off. (Dubai) • Sat, Feb 7 - Build and ship your prototype - 12 hours (Onsite +Online) • Sun, Feb 8 - Demos, judging, and next steps for standout teams. (Onsite +Online) On-Site Pre-Hackathon: Deriv AI Meetup Sat, Jan 31, 2026 · 2:00–6:00 PM (GST) · Dubai In-person talks, workshops, team formation, and networking with the Deriv team. 👉 Deriv AI Meetup registration What's in it for you • USD $10,000+ in prizes across categories • Mentors available to unblock you when you're stuck • Fast-track interviews for top performers - skip the queue • Real problems to solve - not toy demos Format • Teams of 1-3 • Hybrid: Dubai on-site or fully remote • On-site spots confirmed after screening Location • One by Omniyat, 24th Floor, Al Mustaqbal Street, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE • Travel and accommodation not provided. Apply now • Spots are limited. Shortlisting begins right after the event.

In this hybrid hackathon powered by Arc, developers will build the next generation of agentic commerce systems using Arc with USDC. Explore a world where AI agents and web services can pay for APIs, data, compute, and content in dynamic, usage-based ways, while Arc provides stablecoin-native settlement with predictable USDC fees and deterministic, sub-second finality. This hackathon is supported by Google & Google DeepMind, with a dedicated challenge and $40,000 in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) credits awarded for the best use of Gemini models and Google AI Studio. 📅 January 9 – 24, 2026 • Jan 9 – 23 (Online Phase) – Collaborate and build online with developers and AI innovators from around the world. All projects must be submitted by the end of the online phase on January 23rd. • Jan 23 (On‑site Build Day – San Francisco, CA) – Selected participants will be invited to an exclusive in‑person session to refine their projects and connect directly with mentors. • Jan 24 (On‑site Demos & Awards – San Francisco, CA) – Live pitching sessions to a panel of judges and ecosystem partners, followed by the official winner announcement. Get guidance from Arc and Circle experts through on-site support. 📍 On-site Venue (Jan 23–24): MindsDB SF AI Collective 3154 17th St, San Francisco, California, USA 🤝 Go solo or team up, it's your flow. 🏆Compete for $50,000 in USDC & GCP Credits. 📍 On-site participation is by invitation only. Travel and accommodation expenses will not be covered. 🧑🏻‍💻 Secure your spot now - sign up before the Kick-Off Stream!