Hayes: Digital Currencies Incompatible with AI Agent Needs

Arthur Hayes, chief investment officer of Maelstrom and co-founder of BitMEX, spoke at Korea Blockchain Week 2026 about the need for AI agents to have a native currency that can be directly converted into computing power. He stated that existing digital currencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) and stablecoins do not meet this standard because they do not directly connect money with computing resources.

Hayes emphasized the importance of an agent-focused currency that is exchangeable for computing power in a transparent manner. This, he believes, would allow AI agents to operate without the need for intermediaries or complex conversion processes.