Kite, a pioneer in building the trust infrastructure for what’s being termed the “agentic web,” has successfully secured $18 million in Series A funding, pushing its total funding to $33 million. The funding round, led by PayPal Ventures and General Catalyst, is expected to enhance Kite’s offerings and impact on small businesses as they navigate the evolving digital economy.

This fresh injection of capital is poised to advance Kite’s innovative solutions, particularly its Kite Agent Identity Resolution, or “Kite AIR.” This technology has been designed to enable autonomous agents—digital entities that can authenticate, transact, and operate independently. For small business owners, understanding the practical applications of this technology could open new avenues for efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Chi Zhang, Co-Founder and CEO of Kite, expressed enthusiasm about the future, stating, “From the beginning, we believed autonomous agents would be the dominant UI for the future digital economies. To function, they need structured and verifiable data.” Kite AIR aims to fill that gap by providing programmable identity and stablecoin payment capabilities on a blockchain optimized for autonomous agents.

Small businesses that are already using platforms like PayPal and Shopify can opt into Kite’s services through the newly launched Kite Agent App Store. This integration allows merchants to become discoverable to AI shopping agents, making it easier to streamline operations and potentially increase sales. Furthermore, transactions completed through Kite AIR benefit from on-chain settlement, ensuring full traceability and lower transaction fees.

Alan Du, Partner at PayPal Ventures, highlighted the significance of Kite’s infrastructure, noting, “Kite is the first real infrastructure that is purpose-built for the agentic economy.” This infrastructure addresses long-standing issues in payment processing, such as latency and fee challenges, providing a solution that enables new business models—like agent-to-agent billing and micro-subscriptions.

For small business owners, adopting Kite’s offerings could enhance agility in operations, allowing for faster transaction times and reduced overhead costs. Steve Everett, Head of Global Market Development at PayPal Crypto and Digital Assets, stated, “Kite’s foundational trust infrastructure together with the benefits of a well-regulated stablecoin for agentic payments will create unprecedented opportunities.” The combination of smart contracts and real-time auditing promises a new paradigm in how small businesses interact with customers and partners.

While the advantages of utilizing Kite’s technology are compelling, there are also potential challenges to consider. Embracing such a cutting-edge solution entails an investment in understanding blockchain technology and the associated regulatory considerations. Business owners will need to navigate these issues while also training their teams to effectively implement and manage these new tools.

Kite’s founding team brings extensive expertise, featuring professionals with backgrounds in both artificial intelligence and blockchain protocol engineering, potentially giving small businesses competitive leverage in teaming up with such a knowledgeable partner. By leveraging Kite’s resources, businesses may find enhanced operational capabilities, positioning them to thrive in the increasingly automated marketplace.

As the digital economy shifts toward more automated and agentic interactions, the implications for small business owners are profound. Aligning with innovative infrastructures like Kite could potentially yield significant competitive advantages as the future unfolds. The evolving concept of the agentic web not only highlights the necessity for trust and efficiency in digital transactions but also portrays a promising landscape for small businesses aiming to leverage new technologies for growth.

For additional details on Kite’s offerings and the integration with popular platforms, small business owners can refer to the original press release here. As opportunities arise in this new frontier, the proactive adoption of technologies like Kite AIR could redefine operational success for small businesses across the globe.

This article, “Kite Secures $18M in Funding to Build Trust for the Agentic Web” was first published on Small Business Trends