What it means
A spend limit (per-agent spend limit) is a financial governance control that restricts the amount of money an individual autonomous AI agent is authorized to move. It functions through a combination of per-transaction caps, daily and monthly aggregate limits, and velocity checks. Per-transaction limits cap the maximum value allowed in a single operation. Daily and monthly aggregate limits restrict the total cumulative value an agent can transfer over those respective timeframes. Velocity checks monitor the frequency of transactions within a given period to prevent rapid, unauthorized draining of funds. Together, these mechanisms restrict both the volume and pace of financial activity, ensuring that an agent cannot exceed predetermined financial boundaries during its operations.
Why it matters for governance
Per-agent spend limits matter for governance because they establish hard financial guardrails that contain potential losses from agent errors, anomalies, or unauthorized transactions.
Example
A supply-chain procurement agent is configured with a per-transaction limit, a daily aggregate limit, and a velocity check that restricts it to three purchases per hour to prevent accidental bulk over-ordering.