Natural Raises $30 Million to Build Payment Rails for AI Agents

AI agents are moving closer to making autonomous purchases, and Natural’s new $30 million funding round is focused on building the infrastructure to handle these transactions. For retailers and operators, this marks a shift from customers manually clicking 'buy' to AI software handles the entire shopping experience on their behalf. This technology aims to solve the security and authorization hurdles that currently prevent AI from using traditional credit cards or BNPL tools autonomously. While this is early-stage technology, the implications for consumer financing are significant. If an AI agent is shopping for a high-ticket item, it will need the ability to apply for financing or select a BNPL option at checkout without human intervention. This funding highlights the transition toward 'agentic commerce,' where your checkout flow needs to be readable and accessible not just by humans, but by AI bots authorized to spend money. Retailers should keep an eye on how these payment rails integrate with existing point-of-sale systems, as the next generation of customers may be digital assistants rather than the people themselves.

Source: PYMNTS

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