Kira Launches Agentic POBO to Solve Cross-Border Payment Rejections for Fintechs

Kira has launched Agentic POBO, a solution designed to streamline cross-border payments for fintechs and global trade companies. By using AI agents to automate compliance documentation and invoice verification, the platform enables same-day SWIFT payments in the client's own name, bypassing the traditional need for individual virtual accounts and significantly reducing settlement times.

What was announced

Kira’s Agentic POBO (Payments on Behalf Of) is a new solution designed to eliminate the friction fintechs face when paying suppliers on behalf of their clients. A common obstacle in cross-border trade is the rejection of payments by receiving banks when the name of the ultimate payor does not match the invoice. To circumvent this, many fintechs have historically been forced to open individual virtual accounts for every client, a process that adds significant operational complexity and cost.

The Agentic POBO system uses AI agents to verify the ultimate payor’s name against the relevant invoice and automatically assemble the compliance documentation required by the receiving bank. This includes flagging any missing information before the payment is sent. Transactions are processed over the SWIFT network on the same day, and Kira provides the MT103—the standard proof of payment—immediately. This is a critical feature for importers, as suppliers often require this document before releasing goods.

By automating the compliance file assembly and route selection, Kira aims to reduce the traditional 72-hour waiting period for such payments to a same-day service. The system ensures that all payments are invoice-backed and subject to a final compliance review by Kira’s team, maintaining a balance between automated speed and human oversight. This launch represents a broader effort by Kira to build an agentic layer for cross-border payments, where AI agents handle account opening, KYB (Know Your Business) clearance, and tracking, while humans remain in the loop to sign off on final decisions.

"As a fintech company, we couldn't pay a supplier in our client's name. Banks wouldn't process it. Even a normal SWIFT payment took about 72 hours, and the MT103 came up to three days after that, so our clients waited close to a week to prove they had paid. With Kira, the payment goes out in the client's name the same day, and we get the MT103 as proof."

Gabriela, CEO, Outsource X

The companies involved

Kira is a fintech company specializing in the development of an agentic layer for cross-border payments. Based at kirafin.ai, the firm focuses on using autonomous agents to manage the complex administrative tasks associated with international money movement, such as clearing KYB protocols and managing Requests for Information (RFIs). By positioning itself as an infrastructure provider that combines AI-driven automation with human sign-off, Kira targets the inefficiencies inherent in traditional SWIFT-based transactions where manual email correspondence often slows down the movement of capital.

Outsource X is a global trade broker headquartered in Panama. The company serves as a critical intermediary for importers who often struggle to access traditional banking services due to their size or the perceived risk of their jurisdictions. In the global trade market, firms like Outsource X are essential for navigating the logistical and financial barriers that small importers face. The collaboration between Kira and Outsource X illustrates a growing trend where specialized fintech solutions are being deployed to solve niche but high-value problems in trade finance, particularly in regions where trade finance and cross-border logistics are primary economic drivers and where proof of payment is essential for the release of physical inventory.

What this means

This launch highlights a shift toward "agentic" fintech, where AI moves beyond simple customer service into high-stakes compliance and transaction routing. The ability to execute POBO without the overhead of individual virtual accounts is a direct challenge to traditional correspondent banking models. It puts pressure on legacy payment providers who still rely on manual document verification, a process that frequently causes the multi-day delays Kira is targeting. The success of this model will depend on how effectively AI agents can navigate the diverse and shifting regulatory requirements of different jurisdictions. However, it signals that the industry is moving toward a standard where settlement speed is dictated by data readiness rather than manual banking processes.