Lately, I've found myself coming back to Kite AI quite a bit. You know how most crypto projects blast out memes or chase the latest hype? This one doesn't. It just focuses on something that feels increasingly inevitable: letting AI agents handle payments without us constantly stepping in.
The token dropped onto Binance through their Launchpool back in early November 2025, the 71st one they did. Trading kicked off on the third, and the first hours were wild—more than $260 million in volume. Things have calmed down since. Right now, on December 23, KITE sits around $0.0904, market cap just over $162 million, with daily volume in the $35-36 million range. Circulating supply is 1.8 billion out of 10 billion total, so the fully diluted number hovers near $904 million.
What grabs me is the technology underneath. It's an EVM-compatible Layer-1 running Proof-of-Stake, but built specifically for what they call agentic payments. Those AI bots we keep hearing about—the ones that could scout deals, negotiate, or even team up on creative work—they trip up badly when money enters the picture. Fees bite. Delays drag everything out. Or you have to approve every little step. Kite tries to smooth that with built-in stablecoin handling, rules you can set for spending, and proper identities so agents aren't running wild
Think about the sub-accounts for agents. Your main wallet hands out access to several bots, each with its own caps—maybe one gets $2,000 a month for scraping data or tools. Execution happens off-chain for speed, then settles securely on-chain. They hook into the x402 standard too, that old idea from the web about requiring payment, now revived for machines talking to machines. There are already whispers of Shopify tie-ins, which could open up some real shopping scenarios.
The funding gives it credibility, I think. They've pulled in $33 million total, with an $18 million Series A led by PayPal Ventures and General Catalyst. Coinbase Ventures, Samsung Next, and a bunch more came along.
But honestly, I'm not all in without reservations. We've watched these AI-meets-crypto stories rise fast and then fizzle when no one actually builds on them. Will developers flock here and create agents that depend on this setup? That's the big question. Token unlocks ahead might weigh on price. And regulation—figuring out blame if an agent spends wrongly—could get messy quick. Others are chasing similar ideas too.
All the same, if next year brings a real surge in agents doing practical things, like splitting royalties mid-project or handling tiny trades or even donations, something like Kite might end up baked into the background. Narrow focus. Solid money behind it. Riding a wave that seems hard to stop.
If you're putting something up on Binance Square or Creator Pad, pieces like this usually get people talking. What excites you most about agents running their own finances—or what worries you? Definitely one to follow as things unfold.
