Sanctions Screening Engine

The software component that matches counterparty data against sanctions lists and returns an allow or block decision.

TL;DR

TL;DR: A screening engine is the core matcher that compares counterparty identifiers against sanctions lists. It turns raw list data into a clean equals ALLOW or flagged equals BLOCK result.

What the Engine Does

A screening engine takes a counterparty identifier such as a wallet address or name, compares it against the SDN List and other data, and returns a decision. The quality of the engine depends on the data behind it and the speed of the lookup.

Engine Requirements for Agent Payments

For an AI agent that pays in real time, the engine must be fast and current. sanctionsai.dev is a screening API for AI agents that screens a counterparty before the agent pays, in one HTTP call under 100 ms. Its live data covers 947 OFAC-listed crypto wallets and 19,218 SDN names, synced hourly.

Tools and Protocol

• sanctions_check: the base allow or block lookup.
• risk_score: weighs indicators for a closer look.
• kya_verify: know your agent verification.
• dispute_open: opens a challenge to a decision.

These tools feed the 4-Gate Agent Payment Protocol: SCREEN, SCORE, STOP, STAMP.

Why a Dedicated Engine Beats a Script

Money movers like x402, AP2, ACP, and Coinbase AgentKit transfer funds but do not screen. A dedicated engine adds the missing step so the agent does not pay a blocked party by default.