Glossary
Last reviewed: Aug 21, 2026
An asset is made up of a currency code and a scale that together represent a monetary value. An ISO4217 currency code should be used whenever possible. The scale represents the decimal units. For example, US dollars can be delineated as code: USD, with scale: 2, where value 1000 represents $10.00.
A standalone service/server that implements the Open Payments authorization server specification.
It grants delegated authorization and privileges, via GNAP, to a particular instance of client software in the form of access tokens, allowing the client to call the Open Payments APIs.
We’ve provided an opinionated version of a GNAP authorization server via the auth service. This means that we’ve made certain decisions regarding the implementation and configuration of the server that may limit customization but ensure consistency and adherence to preferred practices.
An app or service, such as a mobile or web app, that interacts with the authorization server to obtain grants and access tokens. Clients use tokens to access resource servers and perform actions, such as retrieving transaction history and setting up payments, on behalf of a user or system.
An entity that provides and maintains payment accounts for its customers. An FSP is a regulated entity in the country or countries it operates. Examples include digital wallets, banks, and mobile money providers. Non-regulated entities shouldn’t use Rhyza in production environments due to the potential legal and compliance risks involved.
A delegation of authorization from a resource owner to a client, allowing the client to access protected resources or perform actions on the owner’s behalf. In Rhyza, this process is managed by the authorization server, which issues grants as access tokens. These grants permit clients to interact with Open Payments APIs to, for example, create payments and retrieve account information, based on the permissions granted by the resource owner.
Grant Negotiation and Authorization Protocol (GNAP)
Section titled “Grant Negotiation and Authorization Protocol (GNAP)”The Grant Negotiation Authorization Protocol (GNAP) defines a mechanism for delegating authorization to a piece of software (client), and conveying the results and artifacts of that delegation to the software. This delegation can include access to a set of APIs and subject information passed directly to the software. For more information, refer to the GNAP specification.
A system or service that stores and manages user identity information, authentication, and consent. Due to Rhyza’s implementation of the Open Payments standard, Rhyza requires integration with an IdP to support interactive Open Payments grants.
A unit of data that carries payment information through the Interledger network. A single payment can be broken into smaller packets of value which are then routed across the network.
An object created by the recipient’s FSP, on their resource server, that represents a payment being received. The object contains information about the incoming payment, such as the amount, currency, receiver’s wallet address, and payment status. The object is used to track and manage payments that are expected to be or have been received.
An open protocol stack designed to facilitate the transfer of value across different currencies, platforms, and payment networks. Rhyza is a reference implementation of the Interledger stack, allowing FSPs to join the Interledger network and enable Interledger capabilities on their users’ accounts. For more information, refer to the Interledger specification.
An API standard and a set of APIs that allows clients to securely retrieve account information and authorize payments from an FSP’s customers’ accounts with their consent. By adhering to this standard, Rhyza enables integration with external applications and supports the secure and uniform management of payments, quotes, and account data through the Open Payments APIs. For more information, visit the Open Payments documentation.
An object created by the sender’s FSP, on their resource server, that represents a payment being sent. This object contains information about the outgoing payment, such as the amount, currency, receiver’s wallet address, and payment status.
A counterparty with whom an FSP transacts with over the Interledger network. An FSP’s Rhyza instance holds liquidity accounts for each of their peers.
An object created by the sender’s FSP, on their resource server, that represents the total cost for the sender to send a payment. When a quote is created, it serves as a commitment from the sender’s FSP to deliver the amount to the recipient’s FSP. Quotes are only valid for a limited time.
A standalone service/server that implements the Open Payments resource server specification.
It hosts and manages access to protected Open Payments resources (such as incoming payments, quotes, and outgoing payments)and acts as a gateway between external clients and Rhyza’s backend.
Streaming Transport for the Real-Time Exchange of Assets and Messages (STREAM)
Section titled “Streaming Transport for the Real-Time Exchange of Assets and Messages (STREAM)”An Interledger transport layer protocol for sending and receiving authenticated ILP packets between peers and determining the path exchange rate. See the STREAM specification for more information.
A secure, unique URL that identifies an Open Payments-enabled account. It acts as an entry point to the Open Payments APIs, facilitating interactions like sending and receiving payments. Similar to how an email address serves as a public identifier for an email account, a wallet address is publicly shareable and used to interact with the underlying payment account without compromising its security. Wallet address URLs are treated as case-insensitive, meaning that both lowercase and uppercase variations of the same address are recognized as identical.
A browser API that allows websites to signal their ability to receive Web Monetization payments from their site visitors. Rhyza supports Web Monetization payment flows natively, enabling seamless integration for websites looking to implement the feature and monetize their content via the Interledger network. For more details, visit the Web Monetization website.