Coinbase CEO Sees Crypto's Role Growing in Age of Artificial Intelligence

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong believes that cryptocurrencies will become increasingly important as the artificial intelligence industry grows. According to Armstrong, AI's expansion does not make crypto less relevant but rather more so.

Armstrong drew parallels between crypto and fundamental infrastructure like electricity and the internet. Rather than competing with new technologies, he argued that crypto serves as a foundation for their growth.

The Coinbase CEO predicted that AI agents will eventually emerge as independent economic actors capable of holding funds and conducting transactions on their own. He emphasized that these agents would require real-time programmable money to function efficiently.

Armstrong introduced the concept of 'Agentic Finance,' or AiFi, which combines AI and crypto. He stated that Coinbase is actively building infrastructure for this emerging field, citing its x402 protocol, Base network, and USDC stablecoin as key components.