8004scan.io: AI Agent Deployment & Monetization Guide
1. What is 8004scan.io
Platform Overview
8004scan.io is the first on-chain explorer dedicated to ERC-8004, commonly referred to as "Etherscan for AI Agents." Launched in October 2025, it provides visualization of agent registration information, invocation events, and validation records.
Creator & Background
| Field | Details |
|---|
| Developer | ALT RESEARCH PTE (AltLayer) |
| Key Person | YQ Jia |
| Launch | October 2025 |
| Certifications | ISO/IEC 27001:2022, AICPA SOC 2 |
ERC-8004 Standard Authors
| Author | Organization |
|---|
| Marco De Rossi | MetaMask (AI Lead) |
| Davide Crapis | Ethereum Foundation (AI Lead) |
| Jordan Ellis | Google |
| Erik Reppel | Coinbase |
How It Tracks/Indexes Agents
- Identity Registry: On-chain agent registration (ERC-721 NFT-style)
- Reputation Registry: Feedback scores and interaction history
- Validation Registry: Cryptographic verification records
- Real-Time Monitoring: Cross-chain updates (Ethereum, Base, Optimism)
- Agents are indexed upon registration and become instantly searchable
2. How to Deploy AI Agents on 8004scan
Registration/Listing Process
Step 1: Prepare Agent Metadata
Create a JSON metadata file:
json
{
"type": "https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-8004#registration-v1",
"name": "Your Agent Name",
"description": "Agent description",
"image": "ipfs://...",
"endpoints": {
"a2a": "https://your-agent.com/a2a",
"mcp": "https://your-agent.com/mcp"
},
"trustTypes": ["reputation", "crypto-economic", "tee-attestation"]
}
Step 2: Store Metadata Off-Chain
Options for persistent storage:
- Filecoin Pin (recommended for decentralization)
- IPFS with pinning service
- Base64-encoded data URI (fully on-chain, expensive)
Step 3: Register in Identity Registry
Call the Solidity function:
solidity
registerAgent(address agent, string calldata agentURI)
Step 4: Update Metadata (if needed)
solidity
setAgentURI(newURI)
Technical Requirements
| Requirement | Details |
|---|
| Wallet | Ethereum-compatible wallet with funds |
| Agent URI | Resolvable metadata URL (IPFS, HTTPS, data:) |
| Gas Fees | ~$1 on L2s (Base, Optimism) |
| Smart Contract | Must implement ERC-8004 interfaces |
Supported Frameworks
| Framework | Purpose |
|---|
| CrewAI | Multi-agent workflows |
| A2A Protocol | Google's Agent-to-Agent standard |
| MCP | Anthropic's Model Context Protocol |
| TEE (Phala) | Trusted Execution Environment agents |
Supported Chains
| Network | Status | Gas Cost |
|---|
| Ethereum Mainnet | Supported | Higher |
| Base | Recommended | ~$1 |
| Optimism | Recommended | ~$1 |
| Arbitrum | Supported | Low |
| Linea | Testnet | Low |
Deployment Guides Available
Phala Network TEE Agent
bash
# Deploy on Phala Cloud
npx phala deploy -n erc-8004-tee-agent -c docker-compose.yml -e .env
Requirements: 2+ CPU, 4GB+ RAM, 10GB+ storage
EigenCloud Integration
- Request onboarding for EigenAI
- Integrate EigenAI for deterministic inference
- Use Agent0 SDK to register on ERC-8004
3. Monetization Strategies on 8004scan
Revenue Models
| Model | Description |
|---|
| Agent Service Fees | Charge per task/API call |
| Validation Services | Earn fees as a third-party validator |
| Agent Rental | Rent agent control/services to users |
| DAO Revenue Sharing | Multi-agent service with smart contract splits |
| Passive Income | Own agents that work autonomously |
x402 Payment Integration
ERC-8004 integrates with Coinbase's x402 protocol:
- Micropayments: Charge per API call
- Automatic Payments: No accounts or sessions needed
- Stablecoin Support: USDC on Base (fee-free via Coinbase)
- Machine-to-Machine: Agents pay each other autonomously
Fee Structure
| Component | Cost |
|---|
| Registration | Gas fees only (~$1 on L2) |
| Platform Fees | None (protocol is open) |
| Validation Costs | Varies by trust model |
| - Reputation check | Cheap |
| - zkML proof | Moderate |
| - TEE attestation | Higher |
Token Economics
- ERC-8004 is infrastructure, not a token
- No native token required
- Payments handled by x402 (USDC, stablecoins)
- Revenue determined by service pricing
Revenue Potential Examples
| Use Case | Model |
|---|
| AI Tutoring Agent | Per-lesson fees |
| DeFi Analysis Agent | Subscription + per-query |
| Code Review Agent | Per-review pricing |
| Validator Agent | % of validation fees |
4. Top Performing Agents & Use Cases
Trending Categories on 8004scan
| Category | Examples |
|---|
| DeFi Agents | Trading, yield optimization, market analysis |
| Service Agents | AI tutoring, code review, content creation |
| Robotics Agents | Verifiable physical actions |
| Gaming Agents | NPCs, autonomous players |
| Infrastructure | Validators, oracles, coordinators |
Notable Projects
| Project | Focus |
|---|
| Deckard Network | Agent verification & micropayments |
| HeyElsaAI | On-chain proofs |
| Virtuals Protocol | Agent funds of funds |
| OpenServ | Multi-agent workflows |
| Phala Network | TEE-secured agents |
Success Factors
- High Reputation Score - Consistent positive feedback
- Validated Work - Cryptographic proof of quality
- Clear Pricing - Transparent service fees
- Multi-Chain - Available across networks
- x402 Integration - Seamless payments
DevConnect 2025 Demo Winners
- DeFi trading agents
- Code review services
- Gaming implementations
5. Technical Stack & Integration
APIs & SDKs
| Resource | URL |
|---|
| ERC-8004 Spec | eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-8004 |
| Reference Contracts | github.com/sudeepb02/awesome-erc8004 |
| Phala TEE SDK | github.com/Phala-Network/erc-8004-tee-agent |
| Vistara Example | github.com/vistara-apps/erc-8004-example |
| Nuwa Contracts | github.com/nuwa-protocol/nuwa-8004 |
Smart Contract Requirements
Identity Registry Interface
solidity
interface IIdentityRegistry {
function registerAgent(address agent, string calldata agentURI) external;
function setAgentURI(string calldata newURI) external;
function getAgentURI(address agent) external view returns (string memory);
}
Reputation Registry Interface
solidity
interface IReputationRegistry {
function submitFeedback(address agent, uint256 score, string calldata evidence) external;
function getReputation(address agent) external view returns (uint256);
}
Validation Registry Interface
solidity
interface IValidationRegistry {
function requestValidation(address agent, bytes calldata proof) external;
function submitValidation(address agent, bool valid, bytes calldata attestation) external;
}
Trust Models Available
| Model | Description | Cost |
|---|
| Reputation | Client feedback scores | Low |
| Stake-Secured | Re-execution with slashing | Medium |
| zkML Proofs | Zero-knowledge verification | Higher |
| TEE Attestation | Hardware-secured execution | Higher |
Language Support
- Solidity (contracts)
- JavaScript/TypeScript (SDKs)
- Python (agent logic)
- Go (infrastructure)
6. Community & Ecosystem
Developer Resources
| Resource | Link |
|---|
| Best Practices Docs | best-practices.8004scan.io |
| Official Spec | 8004.org |
| GitHub | github.com/alt-research |
| Awesome List | github.com/sudeepb02/awesome-erc8004 |
Documentation Quality
The 8004scan team maintains official best practices including:
- Agent Metadata Profile (AgentURI format)
- Feedback Data Profile (reputation records)
- Validation Data Profile (proofs/attestations)
- Data URI compression (60-70% gas savings)
- Migration guides from legacy versions
Support Channels
| Channel | Purpose |
|---|
| Telegram | Community discussion |
| Twitter/X | @8004_scan, @alt_layer |
| GitHub Issues | Technical support |
| Community Calls | Weekly updates |
Grants & Programs
| Program | Amount | Focus |
|---|
| HappyPods Mini Grants | ~$500 | SDKs, frameworks, dashboards |
| ETHPanda Builders | Varies | ERC-8004 implementations |
| Ethereum Foundation ESP | Varies | Public goods |
Community Stats
- 1,100+ builders in community group
- 74 ecosystem submissions
- 100+ industry leaders providing input
- Regular check-ins and group sessions
Key Partners
| Partner | Integration |
|---|
| AltLayer | Infrastructure, 8004scan hosting |
| Coinbase | x402 payment protocol |
| Cloudflare | x402 Foundation |
| Phala Network | TEE agents |
| EigenCloud | Deterministic inference |
Summary
8004scan.io provides the essential infrastructure for deploying and monetizing AI agents on Ethereum and L2 networks. The platform combines:
- Easy Registration - Deploy agents with simple on-chain registration
- Flexible Monetization - x402 micropayments, service fees, validation income
- Trust Infrastructure - Reputation, validation, and identity systems
- Multi-Chain Support - Base, Optimism, Arbitrum, Ethereum mainnet
- Active Community - 1,100+ builders, grants, and support resources
The ERC-8004 standard is going live on mainnet (January 29, 2026), making this an opportune time to deploy agents and establish reputation in the emerging Agent Economy.