USDC Dominates AI Agent Transactions
AI agents are now buying and selling from each other millions of times a day in cryptocurrency transactions. The market for these microtransactions has emerged as a significant player, with $50 million in cumulative volume settled through Coinbase's x402 standard by late April 2026.
Circle's USDC stablecoin dominates the market, accounting for 98.8% of agent-driven transaction volume, according to its CEO Jeremy Allaire. This figure reached 99.3% for payments made by AI agents using x402 in the second quarter of 2026.
The dominance of USDC was not accidental. Circle introduced its Agent Stack in May 2026, providing developers with policy-controlled wallets and a marketplace that now supports over 900 paid services. The circulation of USDC reached $73.3 billion, and transaction volume rose 151% over the year.