Four Settlement Models Shaping the Agent-Economy

As agent-economy infrastructure heats up, the term 'settlement layer' obscures four distinct architectures—each with its own trust model, cost structure, and failure modes. AEON's $8M funding and Circle's recent Nanopayments launch intensify competition, but many builders lack clarity on which model—payment rails, micropayments, custodial systems, or others—actually fits their use case. Understanding these architectural differences is essential for selecting infrastructure that aligns with your agent's transaction patterns and risk tolerance.