# Token budget circuit breaker – cut multi-agent retry waste ~98%

> Source: <https://github.com/mrblakessinger-rgb/paradox-engine-eots>
> Published: 2026-08-03 20:34:09+00:00

Free sample: session survival / thrash defense for agent runtimes.

**Not** a privacy or upload-control product. MIT-friendly.

Retries cost tokens, not just time:

```
cost(n) = baseTokens × mult^n
```

**Harness:** 100 agents · 8 steps · 75% tool fail · tiktoken cl100k_base · mult=1.45

| Tokens | |
|---|---|
| Naive fleet backoff | 49.44M |
| Paradox (breaker + zero-RTT prune + fleet wallet) | 817.5k |
Saved |
98.3% |

```
pip install tiktoken
python proof_of_burn_standalone.py
```

Expected:

```
SAVED 48.62M (98.3%)
PROOF_OF_BURN_PASS
```

Local verification (Windows, 2026-08-03): same numbers with HONEST_BENCHMARK_CLASS: 90%+.

- 98.3% is a harness result under the stated parameters — re-run yourself.
- Live production savings must be measured on your estate separately.

MIT — run the script. Keep the invariant.