Recognition highlights Proof of Intent, the patented technology that creates a verifiable record of human authorization for AI-driven financial actions.
ReLeaf Financial today announced that it has been named to Fast Company’s 2026 Next Big Things in Tech list, which honors new technology breakthroughs that promise to help define the future of the industries they serve. ReLeaf was recognized for Proof of Intent, its patented technology that binds a specific human authorization to a digital action.
Proof of Intent gives people, and the institutions that serve them, a simple and verifiable way to keep humans in control.”
— Christopher Surdak, CEO, ReLeaf Financial
As agentic software begins to initiate financial tasks that once required a person in the room, the risk of unauthorized or merely “assumed” actions grows. Proof of Intent addresses that risk by creating a permanent, auditable record showing that a human being, not just an algorithm, intended the act. The result is clear evidence for every sensitive transaction, firm boundaries for AI agents, and confidence for users who can see exactly what they authorized and when.
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The technology is already working in the real world. ReLeaf recently announced a partnership with Inspira Te ilumina, a family-focused financial education platform in Peru, to bring Proof of Intent to more than 100,000 users. ReLeaf also continues to work with telecommunications operators to bring its approach to a global audience.
“Agentic software is already initiating work that used to require a person in the room,” said Christopher Surdak, founder and CEO of ReLeaf Financial. “The missing piece is not another chatbot. It is proof that a human intended the act. Being named to Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech list is a meaningful validation of that idea, and of the team that turned it into a working product.”
Surdak added that the recognition arrives as organizations across the financial ecosystem look for practical ways to govern AI. “Trust will decide how far automation can go,” he said. “Proof of Intent gives people, and the institutions that serve them, a simple and verifiable way to keep humans in control.”
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