KYA (Know Your Agent) Definition.

Know Your Agent: extends KYC and KYB principles to AI agents. It means identifying an autonomous agent, verifying its mandate and the scope of its authority, and linking it to an accountable person or entity. The concept emerged in 2025 alongside agentic payment protocols, which use verifiable credentials to prove an agent’s identity and authority. The goal is to stop a compromised or hijacked agent from making payments the user never consented to.

See also

→ KYC→ KYB→ Verifiable credential

Where this term appears

GuidePayments in the Mekong region: Cambodia, Laos, and MyanmarGuideAI agent identity and mandatesGuideAgentic commerce: scenarios for 2030CourseAgentic payments: integration and readiness

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