Armstrong Says AI Agents Could Soon Outnumber Humans in Transactions, and Crypto Wallets Enable Them to Participate
The next major wave of financial activity on the internet may be driven entirely by machines. According to Brian Armstrong, autonomous artificial intelligence agents could soon become the most active participants in digital transactions — and cryptocurrency infrastructure may be the only system currently capable of supporting them at scale. Armstrong recently argued that AI agents will soon perform more financial transactions than humans, largely because traditional banking systems are not designed for software entities. Cryptocurrencies, however, allow these agents to operate independently through digital wallets. His comments highlight a growing discussion across both the technology and crypto sectors: as software becomes capable of acting autonomously, the financial infrastructure supporting it must change as well. Key Takeaways AI Agents as Economic Participants AI agents are software programs capable of completing complex tasks with limited human oversight. Instead of simply responding to commands, they can plan steps, interact with online services, and execute actions to achieve a goal. As these systems grow more sophisticated, many of their tasks require access to financial resources. For example, an AI tasked with deploying a website may need to purchase cloud storage, acquire datasets, or pay for computing power. Traditionally, such payments must be made through bank accounts owned by humans or corporations. But that model creates friction when software itself is the decision-maker. Armstrong’s argument is that blockchain networks solve this limitation because wallets can be created instantly through cryptographic keys without identity checks. An AI agent can generate a wallet address, hold digital assets, and interact with smart contracts without relying on a bank. This capability opens the door to machine-to-machine commerce where software autonomously pays for services such as data access, bandwidth, computing power, or task execution. CZ Predicts Massive Payment Volumes The idea that AI could reshape financial activity is also gaining traction among other crypto leaders. Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ and the founder of Binance, recently suggested the scale of machine-driven payments could dwarf human activity. While the figure is speculative, the broader point reflects a structural shift already underway. Automated systems are increasingly performing tasks that previously required human intervention, from trading algorithms to logistics scheduling and customer service operations. If these systems begin paying each other directly for digital services, transaction volumes could rise dramatically — especially if payments occur in small increments at high frequency. Cryptocurrency networks, particularly those supporting stablecoins and programmable wallets, are well-suited for this type of activity. Why Traditional Banking Struggles with AI The current financial system was built around identifiable individuals and legally registered organizations. Banking regulations typically require institutions to verify the identity of account holders and track beneficial ownership. For instance, guidance from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network states that financial institutions must identify their customers and verify their identities when accounts are opened. In the case of businesses, banks must also determine the beneficial owners behind those entities. Even when intermediaries or agents act on someone’s behalf, the account must ultimately trace back to a human or legally recognized organization. That requirement makes it difficult for standalone software programs to interact directly with banks. An AI agent cannot independently pass Know Your Customer (KYC) checks or provide government-issued identification. Banks can still support automated systems indirectly through corporate accounts, custodians, and API-based services. But the structure always ties back to a legal entity. Crypto wallets, by contrast, are not bound to this framework. Control of funds is determined by possession of a private key rather than a verified identity. This difference explains why blockchain networks are emerging as the preferred payment rails for machine-driven transactions. Coinbase and BNB Ecosystem Build AI Payment Tools Infrastructure designed specifically for AI-driven commerce is already appearing. Coinbase has introduced “Agentic Wallets,” a system designed to give autonomous AI programs their blockchain wallets. These wallets allow agents to hold assets and execute transactions automatically while interacting with decentralized applications. Meanwhile, infrastructure tied to the BNB Chain ecosystem is experimenting with new payment flows built around standards like EIP-3009. These systems aim to simplify programmable transactions and machine-to-machine payments. The goal is to create a financial environment where software agents can transact continuously without manual intervention. Microsoft Signals a Similar Direction The shift toward autonomous digital actors is not limited to the crypto industry. During a recent technology conference, Satya Nadella described a future where software agents function as full participants within digital workplaces. According to Nadella, these “digital workers” will have their identities, tools, and computing environments. Microsoft increasingly views these agents as a new category of user—similar to how companies once transitioned from desktop computing to mobile-first software ecosystems. If businesses begin deploying large numbers of these agents to perform tasks such as coding, data analysis, or automated research, each agent could potentially require access to payment infrastructure. Challenges Still Remain Despite the optimism from crypto executives, the idea of autonomous financial actors raises several unresolved issues. Legal responsibility becomes complex when software makes financial decisions independently. Questions surrounding fraud, taxation, sanctions compliance, and consumer protection are far from settled. Governments and regulators will likely need to rethink how accountability works when machines can initiate transactions without direct human approval. There are also questions about the commercial viability of large-scale agentic systems. Research firm Gartner warned in 2025 that more than 40% of agentic AI projects could be canceled before 2027 due to high costs, limited business value, or insufficient risk management. A New Category of Financial User Still, the momentum behind AI-driven automation continues to grow. If autonomous agents become common across industries — from software development to logistics and digital services — they will need a way to pay for resources instantly and globally. Crypto proponents argue that blockchain networks already provide the infrastructure for that future. Armstrong’s prediction may sound ambitious, but it reflects a broader transformation in how digital systems interact with the economy. In a world where machines increasingly perform tasks on behalf of humans, financial networks designed for human identity alone may struggle to
Ethereum Foundation Taps Bitwise Infrastructure for Treasury Staking, Targeting 70K $ETH Staked
The Ethereum Foundation has selected infrastructure developed by Bitwise Asset Management to power a large-scale treasury staking initiative that could see roughly 70,000 ETH—worth about $140 million at current prices—deployed to the network. The move marks one of the most significant treasury allocations by a core blockchain organization since Ethereum transitioned to proof-of-stake. The foundation has already initiated the program with an initial deposit of 2,016 ETH, with plans to gradually scale the stake over time. Bitwise confirmed that its dedicated staking division, Bitwise Onchain Solutions, is responsible for developing and maintaining the open-source tools that will underpin the operation. If fully executed, the initiative will convert a portion of the foundation’s treasury into a yield-generating position while simultaneously strengthening the security and decentralization of the Ethereum network. Key Takeaways Turning Treasury Holdings Into Productive Assets The staking program stems from a treasury management framework introduced by the Ethereum Foundation in June 2025. The policy established guidelines for how the organization should deploy its assets while maintaining long-term financial stability. Under the framework, the foundation aims to keep annual operating expenses at roughly 15% of its total treasury while maintaining at least a 2.5-year operational runway. Staking was identified as the first step toward achieving these goals. Rewards earned from validator participation will flow back into the foundation’s treasury and will help fund: By staking its holdings rather than leaving them idle, the foundation can generate steady revenue while contributing directly to the network’s consensus mechanism. Open-Source Infrastructure From Bitwise To support the initiative, the Ethereum Foundation chose Dirk and Vouch, two open-source tools originally developed by the staking infrastructure company Attestant, which Bitwise acquired in 2024. The acquisition brought approximately $3.7 billion in staked assets under management under Bitwise’s umbrella and integrated the Attestant team into its onchain solutions division. The two tools perform distinct roles in the staking setup: Both tools are publicly available and maintained as open-source infrastructure for the broader Ethereum ecosystem. Sreejith Das, head of on-chain solutions at Bitwise and co-founder of Attestant, said the foundation’s adoption validates the design goals behind the software. Bitwise Chief Technology Officer Hong Kim also described the decision as a milestone for the firm. A Focus on Decentralization and Security Beyond treasury efficiency, the staking strategy reflects the Ethereum Foundation’s broader commitment to decentralization. Rather than delegating funds to a single external staking provider, the organization plans to participate directly in network consensus through validator nodes. This approach helps avoid concentrating influence in one operator while maintaining control over its infrastructure. The foundation’s treasury policy also emphasizes what it describes as “DeFi punk” principles, which prioritize: Solo staking using Bitwise’s tools meets those requirements while allowing the foundation to operate validators independently. Strengthening Client Diversity Another goal of the initiative is improving client diversity, a critical security factor in proof-of-stake networks. If too many validators run the same software client, a bug could potentially cause widespread disruptions or slashing events across the network. Using a broader set of clients reduces the likelihood that a single flaw could impact a majority of validators. The foundation’s deployment—combined with the use of Vouch’s multi-client coordination—adds further diversity to the validator ecosystem. By distributing validator operations and signing responsibilities across multiple systems and locations, the staking infrastructure also improves resilience against outages or cyberattacks. Institutional Staking Continues to Grow The partnership also highlights growing institutional interest in professional staking infrastructure. Asset managers, crypto funds, and large token holders increasingly view staking as both a yield opportunity and a way to contribute to network security. Infrastructure providers like Bitwise have expanded offerings aimed at institutions that require higher levels of reliability, compliance, and operational safeguards. For Bitwise, the Ethereum Foundation’s adoption serves as a high-profile validation of its staking technology following the Attestant acquisition. For Ethereum, the program signals a deeper alignment between the network’s core developers and its economic security. A Long-Term Commitment to the Network The Ethereum Foundation has not disclosed a precise timeline for deploying the full 70,000 ETH, but the process is expected to roll out gradually as the system is monitored and scaled. The initial 2,016 ETH stake functions as an operational starting point, allowing engineers to evaluate performance and infrastructure stability before expanding the deployment. Once fully implemented, the staking program will represent one of the largest validator commitments made by a core development organization within the Ethereum ecosystem. Beyond generating revenue for research and grants, the initiative demonstrates the foundation’s long-term confidence in Ethereum’s proof-of-stake model—and its willingness to actively participate in securing the network it helps maintain.