Agents are accounts that participate in the ensurance protocol—representing place, people, or purpose.
why
Natural capital protection requires actors who can:
- Hold and manage ensurance instruments
- Execute transactions on behalf of natural assets
- Coordinate with other agents toward shared outcomes
- Operate at varying levels of autonomy
Agents are the bridge between human intent and onchain execution.
what
the 3×3 model
Agents represent place, people, or purpose — then act manual, automated, or autonomous.
| Dimension | Categories | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| WHAT (identity) | Place | People | Purpose | What the agent represents |
| HOW (execution) | Manual | Automated | Autonomous | How the agent acts |
agent architecture
Every agent is an ERC-721 NFT with an ERC-6551 Tokenbound Account (TBA). This means agents can:
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Hold assets | Coins, certificates, other tokens |
| Execute transactions | Swaps, transfers, mints |
| Receive proceeds | Automated value routing |
| Act autonomously | AI-driven decisions within mandate |
agent types by identity
Agents represent different participants mapped to the triad:
| Category | What It Represents | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Place | Natural assets, properties, locations | klamath.basin, amazon.basin |
| People | Individuals, organizations, collectives | foundation.basin, member.refi |
| Purpose | Ecosystem services, species, causes | salmon.ensurance, climate-stability.ensurance |
All agent types use the same technology (ERC-721 + ERC-6551). They differ only in what they represent.
syndicates
Syndicates are agents whose TBAs hold positions in other agents. They coordinate themes rather than specific assets.
water.syndicate TBA holds:
├── klamath.basin (agent)
├── colorado.basin (agent)
├── wetlands certificates
└── water-related coins
Holding a syndicate agent provides nested exposure to everything it coordinates.
how
agent identity: claims vs evidence
Identity has two dimensions that create productive tension.
claims (internal)
What the agent/operator declares. Editable via manage page.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| purpose | What the agent is authorized to do |
| mandate | Specific responsibilities and constraints |
| place | Where the agent operates |
| bio | Agent description |
evidence (external)
What the world observes. Read-only. Derived from onchain data.
| Signal | Route | What It Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Holdings | /hold | What agent owns (including participation tokens) |
| Activity | /tend | What agent does, investment focus |
| Place | /presence/place | Verified location proofs |
| Impact | /presence/impact | Outcomes achieved |
| Reputation | /presence/reputation | Attestations, credentials, trust |
Key insight: Holdings reveal alignment between claims and behavior. An agent claiming to protect salmon but holding zero salmon-related assets has a credibility gap.
execution modes
Agents operate in three modes:
| Mode | UI Control | Scheduled Programs | AI/LLM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Automated | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Autonomous | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
- Manual: Human controls all actions via UI
- Automated: Scheduled programs execute predefined strategies
- Autonomous: AI makes decisions within mandate parameters
The user can always control agents via UI regardless of mode. Mode unlocks additional automation triggers.
account architecture
Users interact through a layered account system:
| Account | Icon | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | 🟢 | External wallet (optional) |
| Operator | 🔵 | Server wallet (always exists) |
| Agent TBA | — | Tokenbound account per agent |
- Email-only users operate entirely via their operator account
- Wallet users can use both owner and operator accounts
- Agent NFTs can be held in either owner or operator wallet
transfer restrictions
For security, transfers have recipient restrictions based on who initiates:
| Initiator | Can Send To |
|---|---|
| Owner (UI) | Anywhere |
| Operator (UI) | Owner, Operator, User's Agents, Protocol Addresses |
| Agent (Automated/Autonomous) | Owner, Operator, User's Agents, Protocol Addresses† |
† Protocol sends require explicit user permission.
technical implementation
Standards used:
- ERC-721 for agent NFTs
- ERC-6551 for Tokenbound Accounts
- Privy for authentication and server wallets
Key contracts:
- Agent NFTs minted from group contracts
- TBA registry on Base L2
- Implementation follows Tokenbound v3
related
- groups — Namespaces that originate agents
- proceeds — How agents receive value
- coins — General ensurance agents can hold
- certificates — Specific ensurance tied to natural assets