Glossary

An agent is a software system that can act on its own to complete tasks. It can make decisions, use tools, and take actions without constant human input.

An AI agent is an agent powered by artificial intelligence. It can reason, decide, and act automatically based on goals and rules.

Agentic commerce is when AI agents earn, spend, and move money by themselves, using rules set by humans. It allows machines to do business safely and automatically.

Agent identity is a unique digital identity given to each AI agent. It proves which agent is acting and who is responsible for it.

Attestation is proof of what an AI agent is allowed to do. It defines limits like how much the agent can spend, who it can pay, and when it can act.

AI-native finance is financial infrastructure built specifically for AI systems, not adapted from human-only finance. It allows AI agents to participate in the economy safely.

Agent commerce means AI agents buying, selling, and paying for services automatically. It removes humans from routine financial actions while keeping human control.

Machine scale payments are payments that happen instantly and automatically at software speed. They allow AI agents to work continuously, 24/7.

The payments protocol is the system that defines how money moves between agents. It ensures payments are fast, safe, and final.

Rails are the underlying paths that money travels on in a payment system. They are the infrastructure that carries transactions from sender to receiver.

A stablecoin is digital money designed to keep a stable value, often equal to a real currency like the dollar. It is used for predictable and fast payments.

Finality means a payment is fully completed and cannot be unexpectedly reversed. Once final, both sides know the transaction is done.

Settlement is the final step where money actually moves and balances update. A transaction is not complete until settlement happens.

Custody refers to who holds and secures the money. In Catena, humans or organizations own the funds while agents get limited access.

Custody patterns describe how money is held safely while agents are allowed to use it under rules. They prevent agents from having unlimited control.

Compliance means following financial laws, rules, and regulations. Catena builds compliance directly into its system.

Compliance primitives are basic built-in rules that prevent unsafe or illegal actions. They enforce limits automatically before money moves.

KYC is the process of verifying real people behind accounts. It ensures accountability and trust.

KYB verifies companies and organizations. It ensures agents are tied to real, legal entities.

An audit trail is a complete record of every action and transaction. It shows who did what, when, and why.

Risk controls are safety measures that prevent damage if something goes wrong. They include spending limits, alerts, and emergency stops.

AI aware risk management is risk control designed for AI behavior. It accounts for speed, scale, and automation.

An emergency stop is a control that instantly pauses or shuts down an agent. It prevents further actions during risk or errors.

Autonomous procurement is when AI agents buy services or resources automatically. Humans set the rules once; agents handle the rest.

Embedded finance means payments happen inside products or apps, without separate banking steps. Finance becomes part of the experience.

A data marketplace is a place where data is bought and sold. AI agents can purchase data automatically and pay instantly.

DePIN refers to networks of physical machines that provide services and get paid automatically. Examples include sensors, storage, and connectivity devices.

DecentKit is Catena’s toolkit for creating and managing AI agents with financial access. It helps set identity, rules, and controls.

An SDK is a set of tools that helps developers add features quickly. Catena’s SDKs make agent payments easy to build.

An API allows software systems to talk to each other. Catena’s APIs let developers control agents and payments programmatically.

Add-ons are features added later, not built in from the start. Catena avoids add-ons by designing safety and compliance from day one.

The ecosystem includes all partners, developers, and services that work with Catena. It allows the system to grow and scale.

Governance defines how decisions are made, reviewed, and enforced. It ensures accountability and long-term stability.

A regulatory roadmap is a plan for working with laws and regulators over time. It guides safe expansion into new markets.