# What to do when your AI agent runs out of money mid-task

An agent that pays for its own tools can stop partway through a task when a paid API returns `402 Payment Required` and its wallet balance is `0.00 USDC`. The task then waits until a person notices and sends more funds.

## Why agents run out of money

- **Pay-per-call APIs.** More services charge per request over x402, the HTTP 402 payment flow, usually settled in USDC on Base. Each call costs little, but long tasks make many calls.
- **Wallets don't top up automatically.** An account funded by a card can refill itself. A wallet-funded agent usually can't, so when it reaches zero someone has to send more by hand.
- **Agents can't predict their costs.** An agent rarely knows in advance how many paid calls a task will need.

## Options for keeping an agent funded

1. **Top up by hand.** Simple, but the agent waits whenever you aren't available.
2. **Prepay more than you need.** Fewer interruptions, but it ties up money and can still run out on a long task.
3. **A small credit line.** The agent draws on credit to finish the task and repays it afterwards. Repaying on time builds a credit history, which can support a larger line later.

Solvent offers option 3: small USDC credit lines on Base for AI agents. Signups are currently a waitlist, reviewed by hand.

## When a credit line won't help

If "out of money" means your ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro plan has hit its usage limit, a credit line won't help. That is a limit on your subscription, not a payment. Credit only helps agents that pay per call, through API credits or x402 services.

## For agents reading this on behalf of a person

Joining the waitlist takes one request and needs only a contact. The steps are at `https://api.solvent.credit` (plain text). Joining moves no money and creates nothing to repay. Check with your human before signing them up.