Why is the crypto industry obsessed with AI agents?

Over the past 15 years, crypto has forced ordinary users to accept processes that are complex to the point of absurdity: remembering 12 wallet seed words, understanding gas fee mechanisms, facing the risk of losing assets permanently just by pasting an incorrect address.
But now, the industry seems to have found a reasonable “explanation”: crypto was not designed for humans – but for machines.
Tireless AI agents do not care about bad interfaces, do not forget seed phrases, and do not need anyone to explain the differences between blockchains. For them, digital wallets and digital signatures are merely natural tools to operate.
Will AI Trade More Than Humans?
Brian Armstrong – co-founder and CEO of Coinbase – is one of the active promoters of the “agent-first” philosophy. He believes that in the near future, the number of AI agents conducting transactions will surpass humans.
AI cannot open traditional bank accounts, but it can fully own crypto wallets.
Not stopping at mere statements, Coinbase has developed the x402 payment standard, allowing agents to automatically pay service fees in crypto under a “pay-per-use” model. Instead of having to register accounts, enter credit card information, or manage complicated API keys, agents only need a digital wallet to make payments.
According to data from Artemis, since the launch of x402 in May 2025, AI agents have conducted over 107 million transactions with a total value of approximately 30 million USD. Most of these are micro-payments, ranging from 0.2–0.4 USD per transaction. Clearly, the market is still in a very early stage.
Stablecoin – A Natural Payment Rail for Machines
Paying with credit cards is inefficient for transactions of a few cents because the fixed fee of about 0.3 USD per swipe can consume the entire value of the transaction.
This is why stablecoins are considered the ideal choice for AI agents.
Circle – the issuer of USDC – has launched a nano payment feature on the Arc blockchain, allowing transfers below 1 cent to be almost free. This opens up the possibility of large-scale micro-payments, something the Visa/Mastercard system struggles to optimize.
However, many experts argue that completely replacing networks like Visa is unlikely. These organizations have decades of experience in risk management, fraud handling, and building trust – elements that stablecoins are still working to refine.
From Payments to Asset Management
The story does not end with payments. As traditional assets gradually become tokenized, AI agents can:
Hold assets
Automatically rebalance portfolios
Allocate capital across borders
Operate as an independent “micro-enterprise”
For example, BlackRock’s tokenized bond fund BUIDL has reached a scale of 2 billion USD, while Franklin Templeton’s money market fund FOBXX has around 1 billion USD.
When stocks, bonds, and investment funds are tokenized, AI can not only pay – but also become a true investor.
Is This a True Revolution?
Not everyone is optimistic. Haseeb Qureshi from Dragonfly believes that much of what is happening is still just “toys.” For AI agents to create a macro impact, a massive number of agents need to operate with genuine economic demand.
The history of crypto has seen fads like IoT or the metaverse, where people believed a revolution would arrive overnight. But reality is always slower than expectations.
A Bigger Wave is Forming
Despite ongoing debates, the macro context supports this trend:
84 trillion USD will be transferred between generations in the next 20 years.
The younger generation is familiar with digital wallets and online investing.
40% of American financial advisors will retire in the next decade, creating a significant gap in asset management.
The combination of:
Stablecoins
Tokenized assets
Universal wallet infrastructure
AI understanding user behavior
… could create a growth cycle distinct from previous crypto waves.
Conclusion
The crypto industry is enthusiastic about AI agents because they have finally found a “customer” that fits their original design: machines instead of humans.
If humans find crypto too complex, AI does not.
If micro-payments are a difficult problem for the old system, stablecoins may solve it.
If assets are fully tokenized, AI can manage investment portfolios 24/7.
The question is no longer “Do AI use crypto?” but rather:
How many agents will actually emerge – and will they create real economic value?