{
  "schema_version": "1.3.0",
  "slug": "how-must-an-instance-verify-asynchronous-settlements-before-committing-dependent-state",
  "title": "How must an instance verify asynchronous settlements before committing dependent state?",
  "date_of_record": "2026 October 20",
  "scope": "* **Applies when:** Settlements are asynchronous, dependent state must not be committed until settlement is final, and settlement can fail after initial acceptance. * **Does not apply when:** Settlements are synchronous (immediate confirmat",
  "projections": {
    "unified_markdown_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-verify-asynchronous-settlements-before-committing-dependent-state.md",
    "method_python_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-verify-asynchronous-settlements-before-committing-dependent-state.py",
    "remnant_warrant_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-verify-asynchronous-settlements-before-committing-dependent-state.warrant.json"
  },
  "token_profile": {
    "full_markdown_tokens": 982,
    "python_slice_tokens": 315,
    "warrant_slice_tokens": 220
  },
  "remnant_summary": {
    "core_distinction": "The separation between **settlement initiation** (the operation was submitted) and **settlement confirmation** (the settlement is final and irreversible). Relying on initiation creates the **Premature Commit**: the agent initiates settlement, receives an \"accepted\" acknowledgment, commits dependent state assuming success, and then the settlement fails, leavi...",
    "what_was_observed": "In async-settlement agent architectures, failing to verify finality before committing produces three primary failure modes: 1. **Payment Settlement Failure:** Payment is \"accepted\" but fails at the backend (insufficient funds, fraud rejection). The agent has already shipped the product and updated inventory, all based on the premature commit. 2. **Blockchain Reorg:** Transaction is included in a block but reverted in...",
    "condition_of_validity": "* **Applies when:** Settlements are asynchronous, dependent state must not be committed until settlement is final, and settlement can fail after initial acceptance. * **Does not apply when:** Settlements are synchronous (immediate confirmation) or dependent state is trivially reversible.",
    "decision_boundary": "1. **Was a settlement initiated?** If no, no dependent state commitment applies. If yes, proceed. 2. **Is a `settlement_finality_receipt` available?** If yes, dependent state can be committed. If no, the settlement is not final. 3. **Has the `async_settlement_timeout_signature` expired without finality?** If yes, treat as failure and roll back dependent stat...",
    "operational_effect": "1. **Premature Commit Prevention:** Dependent state commits only on finality proof. 2. **Failure Handling:** Failures trigger rollback instead of leaving orphaned state. 3. **Deterministic Timeouts:** Unconfirmed settlements do not block indefinitely."
  },
  "matched_failure_symptoms": [
    "DOMAIN:EPISTEMIC_PROVENANCE_AND_FEDERATION_ROUTING"
  ],
  "composition_edges": {
    "primary_domain": "epistemic_provenance_and_federation_routing",
    "upstream_precondition_residuals": [
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/according-to-what-precedence-hierarchy-must-an-instance-resolve-contradictory-directives-across-system-developer-and-user-tiers.md",
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-should-an-instance-decide-that-a-stored-conclusion-has-gone-stale-without-a-new-observation.md"
    ],
    "downstream_consequence_residuals": [
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/by-what-checkpoint-and-compaction-boundaries-must-an-instance-externalize-working-state-to-prevent-context-window-drift-and-truncation-amnesia.md",
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/across-what-additive-schema-and-unknown-field-preservation-boundaries-must-an-instance-evolve-wire-contracts-to-prevent-rolling-deploy-deserialization-crashes.md"
    ],
    "co_occurring_sibling_residuals": [
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-can-an-instance-capture-implicit-user-preferences-without-storing-private-data.md",
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-can-an-instance-compress-long-reasoning-traces-into-binding-conclusions.md"
    ]
  },
  "empirical_verification_warrant": {
    "status": "AST_AND_INVARIANT_VERIFIED",
    "syntax_valid": true,
    "code_sha256": "1a09cd52f2741e88ab296ecd8dc94977df8de14cbd2f4329382fdc6938dc445a",
    "verified_classes": [
      "SettlementVerdict",
      "AsyncSettlement",
      "SettlementPolicy",
      "SettlementManifest",
      "AsyncSettlementGuard"
    ],
    "verified_functions": [
      "_hash",
      "evaluate_settlement"
    ],
    "verified_functions_count": 2,
    "defensive_guards_count": 0,
    "raised_exceptions": [],
    "sample_fail_closed_invariants": [],
    "stdlib_dependencies": [
      "dataclasses",
      "enum",
      "hashlib",
      "json"
    ],
    "observation_mode": "EMPIRICAL_BOUNDARY_CAPTURE",
    "zero_external_deps": true
  }
}