Automated payments

Set up policy-gated automated transfers using service accounts for payouts and high-volume operations.

Automated payments let you process transfers programmatically while maintaining human oversight through policy-based approvals. This solution covers service account setup, payout workflows, and high-volume considerations.

What you’ll need

• Understanding of policies
• Understanding of service accounts
• Webhook endpoint for status notifications

Components to configure

Service account

A service account provides machine identity for automated operations. Grant minimal permissions for payout operations. See the service account guide and API reference.

Keep automation and approval authority separate by default. Service accounts can be configured as policy approvers if needed, but this requires explicit setup and staff activation.

Payout policies

Configure policies that control when automated payouts need human review:

• Small payouts - May auto-approve with velocity limits for protection
• Large payouts - Require human approval above threshold
• Unknown recipients - Require approval for addresses not in whitelist

See how to create policies and process approvals.

Webhooks

Configure webhooks to track payout status in real-time:

• wallet.transfer.broadcasted - Transaction sent to network
• wallet.transfer.confirmed - Transaction confirmed
• wallet.transfer.failed - Transaction failed
• policy.approval.pending - Approval needed

See how to configure webhooks and the event reference.

Transfer execution

Execute transfers via the API with your service account credentials. See how to create transfers and monitor status.

Policy evaluation flow

When a payout is initiated, policies evaluate the transaction:

Example configurations

Standard payout workflow

Policy	Configuration	Action
Velocity limit	$100k/day	Block (safety cap)
Large payouts	>$10k	Require 1-of-2 approval
New recipients	Not in whitelist	Require approval

High-volume operations

For payment processors with high transaction volume:

Policy	Configuration	Action
Very large payouts	>$500k	Require 2-of-3 approval
Hourly cap	$2M/hour	Block
Frequency limit	>1000 tx/hour	Block

High-volume considerations

Rate limits

Dfns API has rate limits to ensure fair usage. For high-volume operations:

• Check rate limits documentation for current values
• Implement queuing and backoff strategies
• Contact support if you need higher limits

Multiple hot wallets

Distribute load across multiple wallets for:

• Higher throughput
• Balance management
• Risk distribution

Reliability

Build reliability into your payout system:

• Use idempotency keys to prevent duplicates
• Implement retry logic with exponential backoff
• Set up monitoring and alerting

Related solutions

Payment processing

User deposits and transfers

Treasury policies

Spending limits and controls

Compliance

Transaction screening