Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong believes the rise of artificial intelligence will accelerate, rather than replace, the growth of cryptocurrency. As AI agents become increasingly capable of conducting transactions autonomously, Armstrong argues that blockchain networks and stablecoins will provide the financial infrastructure powering the next generation of the digital economy.
His comments come as Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer-2 network, surpassed 100 million AI-driven payment transactions, highlighting the rapid emergence of machine-to-machine commerce.
AI Could Drive the Next Wave of Crypto Adoption
Responding to suggestions that crypto should shift its focus toward AI, Armstrong argued that the two technologies are becoming increasingly interconnected.
According to him, autonomous AI agents will require programmable, internet-native money capable of sending and receiving payments without relying on traditional banking infrastructure.
Rather than competing with crypto, AI is expected to expand demand for blockchain-based financial services by enabling software agents to transact independently across digital ecosystems.
Coinbase Builds Infrastructure for Agentic Finance
At the centre of Coinbase’s strategy is what Armstrong describes as Agentic Finance (AiFi) a financial system where AI agents can perform payments, purchase digital services and interact with decentralised applications without human intervention.
The ecosystem is built around three core technologies:
- Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer-2 blockchain
- USDC, the dollar-backed stablecoin used for settlements
- x402, an open payment protocol enabling automated machine-to-machine transactions
Together, these technologies allow AI agents to securely exchange value while accessing APIs, cloud services, datasets and other digital resources.
x402 Brings Payments to the Internet Protocol
Coinbase introduced x402 as an open payment standard inspired by the HTTP “402 Payment Required” protocol.
The technology enables software applications and AI systems to make instant stablecoin payments without traditional checkout processes, bank accounts or manual approvals.
Using USDC as the settlement asset, AI agents can automatically pay for digital services in real time, creating an infrastructure layer for autonomous online commerce.
Base Records More Than 100 Million AI Payments
Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis reported that AI-powered payments executed through x402 on Base exceeded 100 million transactions within roughly nine months.
The analysis found that:
- Most payment activity involved transactions valued above $1
- AI payment wallets generally held a wider variety of digital assets
- Agentic wallets tended to be newer than average Base users
- Wallet balances were typically smaller but significantly more active
The milestone illustrates the growing adoption of machine-to-machine payment infrastructure as AI applications become increasingly autonomous.
Crypto and AI Continue to Converge
Coinbase has positioned itself at the intersection of two of technology’s fastest-growing industries.
Rather than viewing AI as competition, the company sees blockchain as the financial layer that enables autonomous software agents to participate in economic activity.
As AI systems begin purchasing compute resources, accessing APIs, paying for cloud infrastructure and interacting with decentralised services, stablecoins and blockchain networks could become the default payment rails for the emerging machine economy.
Investors Watch Coinbase’s AI Strategy
Coinbase is scheduled to release its second-quarter earnings later this week, with investors expected to closely examine updates on Base, USDC adoption and the company’s expanding AI payment ecosystem.
As competition intensifies among crypto exchanges and AI platforms alike, Coinbase’s investment in agentic finance could become an important long-term growth driver beyond traditional cryptocurrency trading.
The Future of Machine Commerce
The rapid growth of AI-powered payments on Base suggests that autonomous financial activity is moving from concept to reality.
If AI agents continue to proliferate across digital services, blockchain-based payment infrastructure such as Base, USDC and x402 could play a central role in enabling the next generation of internet commerce where software, not just humans, becomes an active participant in the global economy.
