Armstrong: AI Megatrend Makes Crypto More Important, Not Less

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has rejected the idea of pivoting from crypto to AI as 'zero-sum, scarcity thinking.' He believes that crypto is a general-purpose technology akin to electricity or the internet and should be considered infrastructure.

Armstrong said that a strong AI megatrend does not detract from crypto but makes it more important. He pointed out that AI agents will require their own financial infrastructure and could potentially transact far more per day than all humans combined as Agentic Finance becomes more mainstream.

'They can't open a bank account, they can't wait three days for a wire, they reside in one country,' Armstrong said. 'They need real-time programmable money (and that's crypto).' He highlighted the multiple responsibilities of AI agents, including holding funds, making payments, engaging in trading, and acting as financial advisors.