Ripple Invests in Infrastructure for AI Agents

San Francisco–based startup t54 Labs has raised $5 million in seed funding with participation from Ripple. The round marks the company’s first external financing and will support product development, team expansion, and market entry. In return, investors receive equity stakes in the business.

The round was co-led by Anagram, PL Capital, and Franklin Templeton. This is the first time t54 Labs has secured outside capital.

The company currently employs 12 people and plans to hire three more, including two engineers. The newly raised funds will accelerate technology development, strengthen the technical team, and expand partnerships with financial institutions. Founder Chandler Fang confirmed that none of the investors have taken seats on the board or advisory board. The company’s valuation has not been disclosed.

t54 Labs is building identity and risk management infrastructure for autonomous AI agents capable of executing financial transactions independently. According to the company, today’s financial systems were designed with human users in mind, leaving a gap in verification standards for software programs that operate without direct human involvement.

The company’s solution is based on four core components. The first is a “Know Your Agent” verification model, which includes checks on the software developer, the model’s origin, its link to a human operator, and confirmation of its intended purpose. The second is a real-time risk assessment engine that analyzes system behavior, code audits, and transaction history to detect irregularities before payments are processed.

A third planned feature is the extension of credit lines to AI agents based on their verified identity and transaction history. The final component integrates verification, risk scoring, and settlement processes into a single system.

Research from YouGov shows that 42% of U.S. consumers would allow an AI agent to shop on their behalf in exchange for lower prices. Meanwhile, a report by Keyfactor found that 86% of cybersecurity professionals believe autonomous systems should have unique digital identities.

Blockchain technology forms part of t54 Labs’ infrastructure, though the company does not position itself solely as a crypto firm. The platform operates on the XRP Ledger, Solana, and Base, while remaining payment-system agnostic.

The company also works with Evernorth, which focuses on institutional XRP holdings exceeding $1 billion.

Representatives from Ripple and Franklin Templeton emphasize that as AI agents play a growing role in financial services, new standards for verification and risk management are becoming essential.