Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said AI is set to increase, not reduce, the importance of crypto infrastructure, arguing that AI agents will need stablecoins and blockchain networks to handle payments, transactions, and broader financial services. According to Bitcoin.com News, Armstrong said the daily transaction volume generated by AI agents could eventually exceed that of all humans combined. He argued that traditional banking rails were not built for software operating around the clock, while AI agents require money that is real-time and programmable. Coinbase is positioning USDC, the Base blockchain, and its x402 payment protocol as core pieces of infrastructure for that market. Armstrong said x402 lets software pay for online resources through machine-readable payment requests. He added that these tools already support most agent-driven payments. Coinbase refers to the strategy as “agentic finance,” or AiFi, and has recently launched USDC-based AI agent payment capabilities for businesses through Coinbase Business. Armstrong described the push as a “high-conviction bet.”
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said AI will make crypto more important rather than replace it, according to Bitcoin.com News.
Armstrong said AI agents will rely on stablecoins and blockchain networks for payments, transactions, and financial services. He added that the daily transaction volume handled by AI agents could one day exceed the combined total of all humans. In his view, traditional banking systems were not built for software that runs 24/7, while AI agents need money that is programmable and works in real time.
Coinbase frames USDC, Base and x402 as core infrastructure
Armstrong said Coinbase is positioning USDC, the Base blockchain, and the x402 payment protocol at the center of this market. He said x402 allows software to pay for online resources through machine-readable payment requests.
He said those tools already support most agent-driven payments. Coinbase calls the strategy “agentic finance,” or AiFi. The company has recently rolled out USDC AI agent payment functions for businesses through Coinbase Business, a move Armstrong described as a “high-conviction bet.”
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