How Catena Works
Architecture overview: agent identity → transaction flow → settlement.
Catena is built as a financial system for AI agents.
It lets agents move money safely by following a clear flow: agent identity → transaction flow → settlement.
Each step is designed to keep humans in control while allowing agents to act fast.
Before an agent can touch money, Catena first answers one question: “Who is this agent?”
What happens here
- Every AI agent is registered in Catena
- The agent gets a unique identity
- It is linked to a human or organization
- Its permissions and limits are defined
This identity includes:
- What the agent is allowed to do
- How much it can spend
- Who it can pay
- When it can act
Without this step, nothing else can happen.
Why this matters
This ensures:
- No anonymous agents
- No shared access
- Clear responsibility
Every action can always be traced back.
Once an agent has identity and rules, it can start operating.
What happens here
When an agent wants to make a payment:
- The agent requests a transaction
- Catena checks the agent’s rules
- Catena confirms the payment is allowed
- The transaction is approved automatically
If the payment breaks any rule:
- It is blocked instantly
- No money moves
Why this matters
This creates:
- Real time payments
- No manual approvals
- Built in safety
Agents can act fast, but never outside their limits.
Settlement is the final step where money actually changes hands.
What happens here
- Approved transactions are settled instantly
- Funds move from secure custody to the recipient
- Records are written permanently
This works:
- Across agents
- Across services
- Across borders
Why this matters
Settlement ensures:
- Payments actually complete
- No confusion about balances
- Full transparency
Everyone can see what happened and when.
Traditional finance:
- Checks identity late
- Reviews payments manually
- Settles slowly
Catena:
- Checks identity first
- Enforces rules automatically
- Settles at machine speed
- A human creates an AI agent and sets limits
- Catena gives the agent an identity
- The agent requests a payment
- Catena checks rules instantly
- Payment settles immediately
- Everything is recorded
No waiting. No guessing. No chaos.
Catena works by first knowing who the agent is, then controlling how it can move money, and finally settling payments instantly and safely all under human defined rules.
