New Payment System for AI Agents: Natural Startup Raises $30 Million
With the advancement of AI technologies, digital agents have begun to independently perform complex tasks such as finding carriers, comparing prices, and planning logistics. However, when it comes to payments, these systems still require human intervention. The startup Natural has raised $30 million in investment to solve this exact problem — creating an autonomous payment infrastructure for AI agents. This was reported by Techcrunch.com reports .
The current financial system, including credit cards and bank transfers (ACH), is primarily designed for human-executed transactions. This infrastructure is too slow and inconvenient for autonomously operating AI agents. The Natural project aims to redesign the financial system from scratch and compete with giants like Stripe.
A new financial layer for agents
Natural was founded in 2025 by Kahlil Lalji, Eric Wang, and Walt Leung. Lalji is an experienced entrepreneur who previously successfully sold Ivella, a startup providing banking services for couples. He believes that the speed of AI agent development has far outpaced current financial architecture, and filling this gap is one of the most important tasks in the technology sector today.According to TechCrunch, Natural describes itself as an "agent coordination layer." This system allows AI agents to store, transfer, and independently settle accounts with other agents or humans. By integrating Natural's infrastructure into their systems, companies can grant their digital assistants financial freedom.
The investment round was led by Kirsten Green, head of the venture firm Forerunner. Following this stage, the startup's total funding reached $40 million. Green noted that Natural has ambitious plans, aiming not just to process payments, but to manage disputed transactions and adapt the entire payment infrastructure to the AI era.
Competition and future prospects
While global payment systems like Stripe currently dominate the market, their primary focus remains on human-to-human commerce. Natural seeks to stand out through its narrow specialization and adaptability to autonomous systems. This could also become important in the future for countries transitioning to a rapid digital economy, as localized AI agents will gain the ability to trade independently in international markets.The project will develop the following key areas:
- Direct transactions between AI agents;
- Authorization of payments without human intervention;
- Automated financial reporting and security protocols;
- Smart management system for disputes and chargebacks.
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