You can build agent authorization in-house. Here's the checklist of what "done" actually requires — so you can decide with eyes open.
A credible in-house solution needs: a signed, versioned token format; correct attenuation (add-only, chain-verified); stateful spend/rate enforcement that's race-free; holder-binding; cascading revocation; and — the part teams underestimate — a tamper-evident audit log with inclusion and consistency proofs. Plus SDKs in every language your agents use, and a frozen wire format so tokens keep verifying.
Liceat is open source with a zero-dependency SDK, a frozen CW1 spec, and a hosted gateway you can start on in a minute — or self-host. The security-critical primitives (crypto, Merkle proofs, race-free caveats) are already built and tested. Use it, or read it and learn from it; either way you skip the part where a subtle attenuation bug quietly lets a sub-agent escalate.
Free to self-host. 10,000 free decisions on the hosted gateway — no card.
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