Crypto Leaders Debate What Currency AI Agents Will Use To Pay Each Other

As artificial intelligence agents become more capable of handling tasks independently, industry leaders are increasingly focused on a new question: what kind of money will these autonomous systems actually use to transact with one another.

Billions Of AI Agents Expected To Transact Online

Animoca Brands Chairman Yat Siu predicts that tens of billions of autonomous AI agents will be active online within the coming years, potentially handling bookings, payments, and everyday commerce without direct human involvement. His company has already shifted focus toward AI-driven digital infrastructure, investing in developer tools built around autonomous agent platforms.

Crypto Wallets Seen As Natural Fit For AI Agents

Since AI agents cannot open traditional bank accounts due to identity verification requirements, several executives argue that crypto wallets offer the most practical alternative. Siu described crypto as a system built for machine-based finance, allowing autonomous programs to hold and transfer value without needing formal banking relationships.

Industry Split On Whether One Currency Will Dominate

While Siu believes agents could operate across thousands of different tokens without requiring human oversight of each transaction, OKX Europe’s CEO suggested a single widely adopted currency may eventually emerge, though he stopped short of predicting exactly what form it would take.

Geopolitical Concerns Could Shape The Outcome

Some executives noted that a currency tied to one specific country, such as a dollar based stablecoin, may struggle to gain universal adoption due to political and economic sensitivities between nations. This has led to speculation that a more neutral, borderless digital currency could ultimately serve as the standard for machine-to-machine payments.

Massive Financial Opportunity On The Horizon

Industry forecasts suggest agent-driven commerce could generate well over a trillion dollars globally by the end of the decade, though which currency systems and payment networks will ultimately support that activity remains unresolved, with several major crypto companies signaling early interest in shaping that infrastructure.