MoonPay, a company specializing in crypto payments and stablecoin infrastructure, has launched a new software layer that facilitates direct access for artificial intelligence systems to blockchain financial networks. This development aims to empower AI agents to operate autonomously, holding and moving digital assets without the need for human oversight.
The new product, named MoonPay Agents, is characterized as a non-custodial tool. It enables agentic AI to create digital wallets, manage assets, and execute on-chain transactions once sufficiently funded, eliminating the traditional requirement for human intervention. This innovation underscores a growing trend toward integrating autonomous AI systems with cryptocurrency infrastructure, allowing algorithms the ability to directly interact with decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols and various blockchain applications.
Ivan Soto-Wright, founder and CEO of MoonPay, emphasized that while AI agents possess reasoning capabilities, they lack the ability to engage economically without the necessary capital infrastructure. By providing programmable wallets, MoonPay aims to bridge the gap between AI’s analytical prowess and its operational functionality, fostering the potential for automated trading and payment solutions.
This move comes amid increasing interest from conventional financial institutions in stablecoin frameworks and blockchain settlement systems. Reports indicate that Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, is exploring a potential investment in MoonPay, which is reportedly seeking to raise capital at a valuation of $5 billion.
The market for AI agents is still evolving, but projections suggest significant growth ahead. Research by the World Economic Forum anticipates that this sector could grow to $236 billion by 2034, spurred by trends like “agentic commerce,” which includes AI-driven shopping tools that gained popularity during recent holiday shopping seasons. Corporate uptake of AI agents appears to be increasing as well, with a recent McKinsey survey indicating that nearly 25% of companies are expanding their use of AI agents. This trend is particularly noteworthy for the crypto industry, as increasing AI-driven economic decisions will likely necessitate digital payment solutions, with stablecoins and blockchain networks playing crucial roles in cross-border and programmable transactions.
A recent report from CoinGecko highlighted this trend in AI agent payment infrastructure, mentioning evolving standards like Ethereum’s ERC-8004, which aims to provide verifiable on-chain identities for AI agents, and Coinbase’s x402, designed to enable automated stablecoin transactions online. Some crypto firms are actively working towards this vision, with Crypto.com co-founder Kris Marszalek recently launching ai.com, an AI-centric platform intended to introduce autonomous agents capable of executing various tasks, including financial activities, on behalf of users.
