Halliday raises $20M to build secure AI agents for blockchain networks

Halliday‘s $20 million Series A funding represents a significant step toward solving one of blockchain’s most critical challenges: safely deploying autonomous AI agents in decentralized environments. Led by Andreessen Horowitz‘s crypto arm, this investment supports Halliday’s innovative Agentic Workflow Protocol, which creates immutable safety guardrails for AI operating on blockchain networks. The technology addresses the fundamental issue of how AI can interact with financial systems while maintaining security—a crucial development for enterprises seeking to leverage AI in blockchain applications without risking costly and irreversible errors.

The big picture: Halliday has raised $20 million in Series A funding led by a16z crypto to develop AI agents that can safely operate on blockchain networks without traditional smart contract development risks.

• The funding brings Halliday’s total investment to over $26 million and validates their approach to solving a critical challenge in AI-blockchain integration.
• Unlike many AI startups announcing funding before deployment, Halliday has already implemented its technology with partners including DeFi Kingdoms, Core Wallet by Ava Labs, and ApeChain.

The core innovation: Halliday’s Agentic Workflow Protocol (AWP) creates “immutable guardrails” that allow AI systems to execute blockchain tasks within strictly defined parameters while preventing exploits or unintended actions.

• The protocol ensures no party—not even Halliday itself—can circumvent the safety guardrails placed on AI tasks.
• This approach addresses the fundamental challenge of allowing autonomous agents to interact with financial systems while maintaining necessary security and compliance.

What they’re saying: Halliday’s CEO Griffin Dunaif emphasizes that blockchain AI integration has been limited by significant safety and compliance concerns.

• “AI on blockchain has remained inaccessible due to compliance and safety concerns,” Dunaif told VentureBeat, noting that even minor mistakes in smart contract development can create vulnerabilities.
• “For AI to operate onchain, there needs to be robust safety infrastructure where businesses have oversight of AI-enabled automations.”

Real-world applications: Halliday has already deployed AI-enabled workflows that automate complex processes like treasury management, recurring payments, and B2B transactions across multiple blockchain networks.

• These autonomous systems maintain compliance with predefined rules while operating on various blockchain platforms.
• The technology allows businesses to define and control the specific actions AI agents can take, creating a foundation for regulated autonomous financial operations.

Why this matters: The investment signals growing market confidence in blockchain AI agents that can operate autonomously while adhering to safety and compliance requirements—potentially opening the door to more sophisticated DeFi applications.