Kite: A Decentralized Payment and Governance Platform for AI Agents.

What is Kite

Friends, imagine we are now living in a future world powered by artificial intelligence (AI). In this world, AI is no longer just a voice assistant on your phone or a tool to help you write emails—they have become smarter and more independent, like “digital little helpers” or “AI agents” with their own thoughts and abilities to act. These AI agents can help you shop, book travel, and even manage complex financial transactions.

But for these AI agents to truly operate independently, they need a secure and trustworthy infrastructure, just as human society needs ID cards, banking systems, and laws. This is the problem the Kite project aims to solve.

Simply put, Kite is a “blockchain superhighway” designed specifically for AI agents. It is an EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain (EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain: you can think of it as a brand-new blockchain main road that follows Ethereum’s rules, making it easy for developers to build applications on top), designed to provide these AI agents with:

• Digital identity and authentication: Giving each AI agent a unique “digital ID card” to prove who it is and what it has done, just like human identity verification.
• Programmable governance rules: Setting clear “codes of conduct” and “permission boundaries” for AI agents to ensure they don’t overstep when performing tasks, just like laws and regulations for them.
• Native payment capabilities: Enabling fast, low-cost transactions and payments between AI agents, as if they have their own “digital wallets” and “bank accounts.”

Kite’s target users are mainly developers who want to build and deploy AI agents, AI model providers, and enterprises and individuals who need AI agent services. It aims to be the cornerstone for AI agents to conduct “digital business” and “autonomous collaboration.”

Project Vision and Value Proposition

Kite’s vision is very ambitious: it hopes to become the economic backbone of the “Agentic Internet”. Imagine, if today’s internet is designed for humans, then the future “Agentic Internet” is designed for AI agents. Kite’s goal is to provide a secure, efficient, and trustworthy operating environment for this new era of AI agents.

The core problems it hopes to solve are:

• Limitations of the current internet: The internet as we know it was not designed with independent identity, trust mechanisms, and large-scale payment capabilities for AI agents in mind.
• Lack of AI financial infrastructure: When AI tries to conduct financial transactions, existing financial systems often “break down,” unable to meet the high-frequency, small-value, automated payment needs between AI agents.

Kite’s value proposition is that it is not just a blockchain, but a platform tailored for AI. By providing verifiable cryptographic identity, programmable governance, and native stablecoin payments, Kite enables AI agents to truly operate autonomously. It’s like building a dedicated “digital city” for AI agents, with a complete identity system, legal framework, and financial services, allowing them to live and work freely and safely.

Compared to similar projects, Kite’s differentiator is that it is the first blockchain built specifically for “agent payments”, and it has deeply integrated Coinbase’s x402 agent payment standard from the very beginning. This gives it a first-mover advantage and deep optimization in payments and transactions between AI agents.

Technical Features

As a blockchain tailored for AI agents, Kite has some unique technical features:

• EVM-Compatible Layer-1 Blockchain

  Kite is an EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain (EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain: you can think of it as a brand-new blockchain main road that follows Ethereum’s rules, making it easy for developers to build applications on top). This means it supports smart contracts on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), making it easier for existing Ethereum developers to migrate or build applications on Kite.

• Proof of Attributed Intelligence (PoAI) Consensus Mechanism

  Kite adopts an innovative consensus mechanism called Proof of Attributed Intelligence (PoAI) (Proof of Attributed Intelligence: a new blockchain consensus mechanism designed to fairly recognize and reward the contributions of AI models, data, and agents in the network). Traditional blockchain consensus mechanisms (like Proof of Work PoW or Proof of Stake PoS) focus mainly on computing power or staked assets, while PoAI emphasizes fair attribution and reward for the contributions of AI models, data, and AI agents in the network. It’s like an “intelligent contribution recorder,” ensuring every AI’s effort is accurately recognized and rewarded.

• Agent Native Identity & Auth

  Kite provides cryptographic identity for AI agents, giving them verifiable and traceable identities. This identity is portable, like a universal digital passport that AI agents can use seamlessly across different applications and services without repeated registration. It also features interoperability and reputation-based attributes, allowing AI agents to build their own reputation and even share their owner’s reputation under verifiable lineage.

• Agent Native Governance

  Kite allows for programmable permissions and fine-grained authorization control for AI agents. This means you can precisely define what an AI agent can and cannot do, and under what conditions it can act—like setting a smart “code of conduct” for AI agents.

• Agent Native Payments

  Kite supports instant, stablecoin-native micropayments between AI agents, with extremely low transaction fees. This is crucial for high-frequency, small-value automated transactions between AI agents, like providing them with an efficient, low-cost “digital payment system.”

• Deep Integration with x402 Protocol

  From its inception, Kite has natively integrated Coinbase’s x402 agent payment standard. This makes Kite one of the first Layer-1 blockchains to fully implement x402-compatible payment primitives, enabling AI agents to initiate, receive, and coordinate payments through standardized intent authorization.

Tokenomics

The Kite project has its own native token, commonly referred to as KITE or KITE AI. While specific token details vary across sources, we can summarize based on available information:

• Token Symbol and Issuing Chain

  The token symbol is KITE AI. As the native token of the Kite Layer-1 blockchain, it will run on the Kite blockchain.

• Total Supply

  According to CoinCarp, the total supply of KITE AI is 10,000,000,000,000 KITE AI. (Note: Other sources such as CoinGecko and Bitget mention KITE token information that may belong to different projects or older versions; here we use the data most relevant to the Kite AI blockchain project.)

• Token Allocation

  The KITE AI token allocation plan is as follows:

  • Future DAO-Managed KITEAI: 64%
  • Team: 13.5%
  • AI Developers and Contributors: 7%
  • Platform Users and Interaction Participants: 5%
  • Seed Investors: 5%
  • Third-Party Integrations and Service Providers: 4%
  • Advisors: 1%
  • Airdrop: 0.5%

• Token Utility

  While specific uses are not detailed in the search results, as the native token of a Layer-1 blockchain, KITE AI will typically be used for:

  • Network transaction fees: Paying fees for transactions and smart contract execution on the Kite blockchain.
  • Staking and network security: Holding and staking KITE AI tokens to participate in network consensus, maintain network security, and earn rewards.
  • Governance: Participating in decentralized governance of the Kite network, voting on proposals for protocol development.
  • AI agent payments: Potentially serving as a medium for service payments or data exchange between AI agents.

Team, Governance, and Funding

• Core Team

  Kite’s team has a very strong background, composed of seasoned experts from the fields of artificial intelligence and data infrastructure. Core members have worked at Databricks, Uber, UC Berkeley and other well-known companies and institutions. The team also includes professionals from Google, BlackRock, Deutsche Bank, Nomura, McKinsey, eBay, and the NEAR Foundation. The co-founder and CEO is Chi Zhang. This team composition shows Kite has deep technical expertise and industry experience in both AI and blockchain.

• Governance Mechanism

  Kite emphasizes programmable and fine-grained governance, which applies not only to the behavior of AI agents but may also extend to the operation of the entire network. From the token allocation, we see that 64% of tokens are allocated to “Future DAO-Managed” (DAO: Decentralized Autonomous Organization, managed by smart contracts and token holder voting), indicating Kite will move towards decentralized autonomy, allowing token holders to participate in project decision-making and development.

• Funding and Financing

  Kite has attracted top investment institutions and successfully raised significant funds.

  • In the latest funding round, Kite raised $33 million, with major investors including PayPal, General Catalyst, Coinbase Ventures, and other leading blockchain foundations.
  • Previously, Kite’s Series A round also attracted PayPal Ventures and General Catalyst, raising $18 million.

  These funds will support the development of its autonomous AI agent payment infrastructure and accelerate large-scale adoption of the x402 protocol. Ample funding provides a solid foundation for Kite’s long-term development.

Roadmap

Kite’s roadmap is designed as a phased, gradually open, and technically deep process, aimed at responsible testing, learning, iteration, and scaling. Its goal is to build a blockchain world where AI is not just a tool, but a participant.

• Key Historical Milestones (Completed or Ongoing)

  • Early development and financing: The project was founded by seasoned experts in AI and data infrastructure, and successfully raised multiple rounds of funding, including $33 million from top institutions such as PayPal, General Catalyst, and Coinbase Ventures.
  • Kite Agent Identity Resolution (AIR) launch: Kite launched the AIR solution, allowing autonomous agents to securely authenticate and transact.
  • Collaboration with Brevis: Kite partnered with zero-knowledge proof coprocessor network Brevis to enhance verifiable trust and computational infrastructure for AI payments in the agent economy.
  • Deep integration with Coinbase x402 protocol: From the outset, Kite natively integrated the Coinbase x402 agent payment standard, becoming one of the first Layer-1 blockchains to fully implement x402-compatible payment primitives.

• Future Plans and Milestones (Timeline Stages)

  Kite’s roadmap is divided into several stages, from testnet to mainnet, with each stage gradually adding new components, including infrastructure, incentive mechanisms, governance, and smart features.

  • Aero stage: Early testing and foundational build-out.
  • Ozone stage: Further development and feature expansion.
  • Strato stage: May involve more complex system integration and community participation.
  • Voyager stage: Final testing and optimization before mainnet launch.
  • Lunar mainnet: The ultimate goal is to launch the “Lunar” mainnet, at which point Kite will become a fully operational decentralized AI infrastructure.

  Kite emphasizes its roadmap is “depth, not hype,” building in layered stages so developers can confidently test, contribute, and deploy; users can gradually explore, earn, and learn; AI agents can gain real utility and reputation; and the community can grow in sync.

Common Risk Reminders

Investing in any blockchain project comes with risks, and Kite is no exception. Before considering participation in the Kite project, be sure to understand the following potential risks:

• Technical and Security Risks

  • Complexity of new technology: Kite combines blockchain and AI, both of which are highly complex and rapidly evolving. The project’s success depends on whether its technical team can effectively address these complexities and ensure system stability and security.
  • Smart contract vulnerabilities: As a Layer-1 blockchain, smart contracts on Kite may have vulnerabilities that, if exploited, could lead to loss of funds or system failures.
  • Security issues with AI agents: The autonomy of AI agents may bring new security challenges, such as preventing malicious AI agents and ensuring agent behavior meets expectations.
  • Maturity of the consensus mechanism: PoAI is a relatively novel consensus mechanism whose long-term stability and resistance to attacks need time to be validated.

• Economic Risks

  • Market volatility: The cryptocurrency market is known for its extreme volatility. The price of KITE tokens may fluctuate sharply due to market sentiment, macroeconomic factors, and project progress.
  • Competition risk: The blockchain and AI sectors are highly competitive, with many projects exploring the intersection of AI and blockchain. Kite must continually innovate and stay competitive.
  • Uncertainty in tokenomics: Although token allocation information is available, details such as inflation/burn mechanisms and circulation plans may affect the long-term value of the token.
  • Adoption risk: Kite’s success largely depends on attracting enough developers and AI agents to use its platform. Poor adoption could impact project development and token value.

• Compliance and Operational Risks

  • Regulatory uncertainty: Global regulatory policies for cryptocurrency and blockchain are still evolving. Future regulatory changes may affect Kite’s operations and the legality of its token.
  • Centralization risk: Although the project plans to move towards DAO governance, the team may have significant control in the early stages.
  • Lack of whitepaper: The official whitepaper has not yet been formally released (or is still “coming soon”), which may mean project details and long-term vision are not fully transparent, increasing information asymmetry risk.

Please remember, the above information is not investment advice. Always do your own research (DYOR) and consult a professional financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Verification Checklist

As a responsible researcher, here are some links and information you can verify and follow to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Kite project:

• Official website: Usually the best source for the latest project information and official announcements.
• Block explorer contract address: Once Kite mainnet launches or the token is issued on a specific chain, you can use block explorers (such as Etherscan, Snowtrace, etc.) to find its contract address, view token circulation, holder distribution, and transaction activity.
• GitHub activity: Check Kite’s GitHub repository to see code update frequency, developer community activity, and technical progress. An active GitHub is usually a positive sign of healthy project development.
• Official social media (such as X/Twitter, Discord, Telegram): Follow the project’s official social media accounts for real-time updates, community discussions, and team interactions.
• Audit reports: If the project releases smart contract audit reports, be sure to read them carefully to understand its security and potential vulnerabilities.
• Media coverage and partnership announcements: Follow media outlets like BeInCrypto, ChainCatcher for reports on Kite, especially regarding its funding, partners (such as Coinbase Ventures, Brevis), and technical integrations.

Project Summary

The Kite project is an ambitious blockchain initiative aiming to build the core infrastructure for the emerging “Agentic Internet.” By providing an EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain and introducing the innovative Proof of Attributed Intelligence (PoAI) consensus mechanism, Kite is dedicated to solving the core challenges of AI agents in identity authentication, behavioral governance, and payment transactions. Kite’s vision is to become the “digital backbone” of the AI agent economy, enabling AI to operate in the digital world in a more autonomous, secure, and efficient way.

The project has received $33 million in funding from top investment institutions such as PayPal, General Catalyst, and Coinbase Ventures, and boasts a strong team of seasoned experts in AI and blockchain. Its roadmap clearly outlines multiple development stages from testnet to mainnet.

However, as an emerging project, Kite also faces risks such as technical complexity, market competition, regulatory uncertainty, and the whitepaper not yet being officially released. While Kite shows great potential in the AI and blockchain integration space, its long-term success will depend on technical implementation, community adoption, and market evolution.

Please note, the above content is an objective analysis and introduction to the Kite project and does not constitute any investment advice. The cryptocurrency market is highly volatile and risky; please conduct thorough due diligence and make decisions based on your own risk tolerance.