ToneTag secures $5 mn from Qualcomm Ventures to scale sound-based payments

ToneTag raised $5 million from Qualcomm Ventures to expand its AI-driven, sound-based payment technology globally, building on rapid scale and billions in monthly transaction value

Sound-based payments technology firm ToneTag received a strategic investment worth $5 million from Qualcomm Ventures, the investment arm of Qualcomm Incorporated.

 

The company said this will allow it to deploy edge AI-powered, payment-capable modules designed and engineered in India across global markets. 

“With our proximity context protocol, we are laying the foundation for a new class of intelligent, payment-ready edge devices that can scale globally,” said Kumar Abhishek, founder and chief executive officer (CEO), ToneTag. 

The company said its protocols allow everyday devices to become conversational and payment-capable ecosystems. Applications include legacy payment systems, smart TVs, smartphones, wearables including smartwatches and smart glasses, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, among others. 

“ToneTag’s innovation combines powerful on-device AI with contextual intelligence, unlocking secure real-time payments across industries and devices,” said Rama Bethmangalkar, senior director, Qualcomm Technologies Inc., and managing director at Qualcomm Ventures India.

 

In 2025, the company raised $78 million in a mix of primary and secondary investments.

 

ToneTag’s payment protocol is live across millions of touchpoints and processes over 25 million transactions daily, representing more than $3 billion in monthly transaction value.

 

The firm has built a proprietary protocol that uses audio frequencies to transmit encrypted payment data between devices, eliminating the need for Bluetooth pairing, near-field communication chips or even internet connectivity during the transaction itself.

 

The company said its technology is protected by patents across multiple global jurisdictions and is designed to work with existing hardware such as speakers and microphones already embedded in devices.