Bitcoin Magazine
Foundation Raises $6.4M in Fulgur-led Round to Launch Passport Prime, a ‘Human Authority’ Device to Keep AI Agents in Check
Foundation has raised $6.4 million in a funding round led by Fulgur Ventures as it launches Passport Prime, a new hardware device designed to secure digital actions in an era of AI-driven automation.
The Boston-based company said the round included participation from Arche Capital and brings its total funding to $16.5 million, according to a note shared with Bitcoin Magazine.
The capital will support expansion beyond Bitcoin self-custody into identity management, multi-factor authentication, and authorization systems for AI agents.
Passport Prime, which began shipping to pre-order customers in March 2026, is now available for general purchase. Foundation describes the product as the first example of “Human Authority Hardware,” a category of devices intended to ensure that critical digital actions require direct human approval through isolated, secure hardware.
The launch reflects a shift in security concerns as AI agents gain the ability to execute tasks across financial accounts, cloud systems, and enterprise tools. Foundation argues that existing approval methods — such as browser prompts or mobile notifications — cannot serve as trusted checkpoints when the same environment may host autonomous software.
Chief executive Zach Herbert said the rise of AI agents creates a new form of key management challenge. He argued that authorization must move to independent hardware with a verifiable display and operating system, rather than remain within software environments that can be compromised.
Passport Prime details
Passport Prime combines several functions into a single device, including a Bitcoin hardware wallet, FIDO authentication keys, two-factor authentication storage, a secrets vault, and 50GB of encrypted storage. The device is designed to act as a central approval layer for transactions, credential use, and data access.
The product runs on KeyOS, a Rust-based microkernel operating system developed by Foundation over three years. KeyOS is open source and includes a communication system called QuantumLink, which uses post-quantum cryptographic standards such as ML-KEM alongside ChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption on a dedicated Bluetooth chip.
Foundation is also opening its KeyOS developer platform to external builders. The platform includes a software development kit, documentation, command-line tools, and a simulator that allows developers to test applications without physical hardware. A developer unit can be requested for real-device testing.
The company plans to introduce a KeyOS app store by the end of the second quarter, aiming to create a distribution channel for security-focused applications built on the platform. Use cases include Bitcoin transaction policies, identity verification tools, enterprise signing systems, and approval workflows for AI agents.
C