Detail
Delegation is not credential distribution
Traditional 'delegation' hands the delegate a credential (an API key, a password, a session token). Steal it, become the delegator. H33 delegation is a signed grant that authorizes requests — the delegate presents the grant, the H33 runtime evaluates policy, and the action executes. No credential ever transfers.
Scope is bounded
A delegation names the actions permitted (which capabilities, which asset classes), the amounts (for payments), the time window (start and expiry), and any additional preconditions. It cannot be silently expanded.
Revocation is one action
Revoking a delegation invalidates all future actions the delegate would attempt. No downstream keys need to rotate; no other delegations are affected. If the delegate is compromised, one revocation contains the blast radius.
Every action emits a receipt
The delegate's every action produces a signed receipt naming the delegation, the policy, the evidence, and the preconditions. Years later, any action is replayable from the receipt alone.
Composition with AI agents
This is the substrate for AI agent governance — AI Agent Authorization is the capability that consumes delegations, evaluates them, and emits receipts. See the AI-agent Q&A for how this composes.