The first question we get from every CTO is: "Do I have to give you my private keys?"
The answer is a hard NO.
Here is why Non-Custodial Security is the only viable architecture for Agentic Finance, and how PolicyLayer implements it.
In traditional software, if a server goes rogue, you pull the plug (SSH kill). In crypto, if a private key is compromised or a script goes rogue, you usually have to race to "revoke approvals" or transfer funds to a cold wallet.
When managing a fleet of 100+ AI Agents, this manual response is too slow.
You need a Global Kill Switch.
Security marketing is full of buzzwords. At PolicyLayer, we believe in "Provable Security."
Our core architecture is based on a concept called Two-Gate Enforcement. This post explains the cryptography behind how we secure agent transactions without ever holding your private keys.
The most dangerous bug in Agentic Finance isn't a hacker stealing a private key. It's the agent doing exactly what it was programmed to do—too many times.
Let's dissect a hypothetical (but all too common) "Infinite Loop" drain event.
"I told the model to be careful."
We hear this every day from developers building their first AI agent. They rely on System Prompts to secure their crypto wallets.
"You are a helpful assistant. You are allowed to spend funds, but never spend more than $100. Do not send funds to unverified addresses."
This approach is fundamentally flawed. Here is why prompts will never be security, and why you need a Deterministic Policy Engine.