In the last year, payments made by artificial intelligence agents via blockchain networks have reached remarkable levels. It was determined that transfers worth $73 million were made in a total of 176 million transactions. The average transaction amount was measured at only 31 cents.
Next generation blockchain payment infrastructure for artificial intelligence
Autonomous software agents are defined as applications that can independently make and implement shopping and payment decisions on behalf of the user. Recently, these software have started to meet their needs such as API access, data flow and cloud server rental with blockchain-based micro-payments. Transactions average only 31 cents throughout the year, making it uneconomical with traditional payment infrastructure. While payment giants like Visa charge a flat 30 cent transaction fee, the difference for a similar amount of payment creates a huge inefficiency.
While the low-consistency, high-volume demands of artificial intelligence agents exceed the scaling limits of traditional financial systems, blockchain infrastructure can overcome this obstacle at very low costs.
With blockchain networks such as Base and Tempo, the way for stablecoin-based payments has been paved. This method made it possible to trade with fees of less than a penny. According to the latest data, it was noted that there are more than 104 thousand artificial intelligence agents and are registered in more than 15 directories. Many of these agents continuously and automatically send payments to various data channels, cloud computing resources, or artificial intelligence services. All these transactions are processed instantly, without requiring any human approval.
Mini dictionary: Autonomous artificial intelligence agent is the name given to software that can take action on its own on behalf of the user. These software can automatically manage steps such as purchasing, payment or data access without human intervention.
Technology giants are trying to stand out in the competition
The high potential of the market has led many technological companies to produce new payment solutions. Coinbase has implemented the x402 protocol, which allows paying for services directly with USDC without requiring a membership or account. Stripe, on the other hand, joined forces with Tempo blockchain and developed its platform called Machine Payments Protocol. Google launched its system called AP2, which will grant spending authority on behalf of autonomous agents. On the Visa side, token-based network infrastructures specifically designed for artificial intelligence were put into operation.
According to Keyrock’s analysis, large-scale financial companies have made acquisitions worth over $8 billion in total to gain competitive advantage. These investments pave the way for the establishment of systems that can be the financial backbone of the autonomous artificial intelligence economy in the future.
Stablecoin USDC weight poses a risk
Judging by the latest data, 98.6 percent of all these payments were made with USDC issued by Circle. Such a single stablecoin-dependent structure both demonstrates Circle’s effectiveness in the market and increases the possibility of systemic risk. Almost the entire existing agent economy has no alternative solutions should Circle face regulatory processes, loss of value, or any prolonged disruption.
| Payment method | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| USDC | 98.6 |
| Other | 1.4 |
Although regulations such as MiCA in Europe, the GENIUS Act in the US and the EU’s new Artificial Intelligence Act will come into force in mid-2026, a direct framework for autonomous payments has not yet been defined. Uncertainty remains, especially in areas such as machine-to-machine trading, authentication and liability.
Market growth potential and future expectations
The current volume is still very small compared to traditional financial institutions. For example, Visa processes $14.5 trillion in transactions annually. However, both analysts and research companies are of the opinion that artificial intelligence-supported payments will turn into a much larger market in the next few years. Gartner shared that autonomous agents could generate $15 trillion in payment traffic by 2028. McKinsey predicts that retail AI business could reach $3 to $5 trillion by 2030. Infrastructure is being built today; A significant increase in transaction volume is expected in the medium term.
