The Next Wave of Crypto Users Won’t Be People, They’ll Be AI Agents

AI agents are making autonomous payments online, mostly using USDC stablecoins, for data, computing power, and API access. Coinbase’s x402 protocol has processed over 165 million payments worth $50 million, with roughly 99% in USDC. Cloudflare, Mastercard, MoonPay, and Circle are all building payment tools for AI agents. Card networks are not stepping aside, indicating a competitive landscape.