Brian Armstrong Says AI Agents Will Make Crypto More Important for Global Payments

Coinbase Bets AI Agents Will Use USDC, Base and x402 for Machine-Speed Payments

Coinbase co-founder and CEO Brian Armstrong has rejected the idea that crypto companies must abandon blockchain to chase the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.

In a post on X, Armstrong argued that crypto and AI are complementary technologies. He described blockchain as general-purpose infrastructure that could support the financial activity of autonomous software.

“AI being a megatrend takes nothing away from crypto,” Armstrong said. “If anything, it makes crypto more important.”

His argument rests on a simple premise. AI agents may eventually need to earn, hold, and spend money without waiting for human approval at every step. Traditional banking systems were not designed for software that operates around the clock.

AI Agents Need Machine-Speed Money

Armstrong predicted that AI agents will eventually complete more transactions each day than all humans combined.

These programs may pay for data, computing power and digital services. They could also trade assets, rebalance portfolios, settle bills and help users manage taxes.

However, agents cannot easily open bank accounts or wait several days for wire transfers. Crypto networks can offer programmable payments that settle at any hour and across borders.

“They need real-time programmable money,” Armstrong said.

Coinbase is positioning USDC, its Base blockchain and the x402 payments protocol as core infrastructure for this market. X402 allows software to pay for online resources through machine-readable payment requests.

Armstrong said those tools already power most agent-driven payments, although he did not provide supporting figures in his post.

Coinbase Builds Its ‘Agentic Finance’ Stack

Coinbase calls its broader strategy “Agentic Finance” (AiFi). The company is developing tools that allow AI systems to access wallets, make payments and carry out financial instructions within limits set by users.

Armstrong expects agents to act as traders and financial advisers. He also suggested they could borrow or raise capital for projects they undertake independently.

Recently, the company rolled out AI agent payments for businesses in USDC via Coinbase Business and called it a ‘high conviction bet.’

The post drew support from investors and crypto developers. Startup investor Jason Calacanis summarized the thesis more simply: crypto companies should use AI rather than pivot away from their existing businesses.

Other commentators pointed to rising agent traffic on Base and growing use of x402 as early evidence of demand. They also highlighted tools such as Agentkit, Coinbase for Agents and onchain identity standards designed to help autonomous programs transact safely.

The vision remains early and carries unresolved questions around security, accountability and regulation. Still, Coinbase is making a clear bet: as AI becomes more independent, crypto could become the financial system that lets it operate.