Overview
When tokenized money must move across multiple blockchain networks, Atum provides infrastructure to facilitate fulfillment of payment requests. When a settlement quote is selected, the settlement operator executes the payment.At a glance
The settlement operator submits a price quote. Once its quote is selected, Atum coordinates three on-chain steps — deposit → fulfill → release — to complete the settlement: If a settlement can’t complete — a step fails or a deadline passes before release — it falls back to a refund: the user’s source funds are returned and the settlement ends.Source and destination transactions are cryptographically linked. Source funds are only released once delivery to the recipient is proven, so a settlement either completes end to end or refunds — funds are never left in limbo.
Fulfillment quote selection
Settlement operators compete to fulfill each payment request:- Receive request — the Atum gateway broadcasts a payment request to operators
- Evaluate feasibility — the operator checks it against their participation criteria
- Submit quote — if suitable, the operator submits a quote to fulfill it
- Fulfill — the operator whose quote is selected fulfills the request