Crypto payments and stablecoin infrastructure company MoonPay has introduced a new software layer that gives artificial intelligence systems direct access to blockchain-based financial networks, a development that could allow AI agents to independently hold and move digital assets rather than rely on human intermediaries.
The product, called MoonPay Agents, is a non-custodial tool that allows AI agents, or agentic AI, to create wallets, hold digital assets and execute onchain transactions without human intervention, once funded.
The launch reflects a broader push to integrate autonomous AI systems with crypto infrastructure, potentially allowing algorithms to interact directly with decentralized finance protocols and other blockchain applications.
“AI agents can reason, but they cannot act economically without capital infrastructure,” said MoonPay founder and CEO Ivan Soto-Wright, describing the product as permissionless and non-custodial.
Most AI systems are limited to analyzing data or generating recommendations, with humans responsible for executing transactions. By pairing AI agents with programmable wallets, MoonPay is attempting to bridge that gap, enabling automated trading and payments.
The move comes as interest grows among traditional financial institutions in stablecoin infrastructure and blockchain settlement rails. According to Bloomberg, Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, has held early-stage discussions about a potential investment in MoonPay, which is reportedly seeking to raise capital at a $5 billion valuation.
Related: PayPal draws takeover interest following 46% stock slide: Report
Agentic AI: A potential $236 billion market
The global market for AI agents is still emerging, but some forecasts point to rapid growth.
Research by the World Economic Forum estimates the sector could reach $236 billion by 2034, driven in part by what it describes as the rise of “agentic commerce,” including AI-powered shopping tools that gained traction during recent holiday seasons.
Corporate adoption appears to be picking up as well. A recent McKinsey survey found that nearly a quarter of companies said they were expanding their use of AI agents.
For the crypto industry, that trend carries particular weight. If AI agents increasingly make economic decisions, the transactions underlying those decisions will likely require digital payment rails. Industry insiders believe stablecoins and blockchain networks will play a major role, especially in cross-border or programmable transactions.
This trend was recently highlighted in a CoinGecko report on AI agent payment infrastructure, which pointed to emerging standards like Ethereum’s ERC-8004, aimed at giving AI agents verifiable onchain identities, and Coinbase’s x402, a protocol designed to enable automated stablecoin payments over the internet.
Some crypto companies are already building out that vision. Crypto.com co-founder and CEO Kris Marszalek recently unveiled ai.com, an AI-focused platform that plans to introduce autonomous agents capable of performing tasks, including financial actions, on behalf of users.
Related: AI agents not worth the cost as humans still cheaper: Tech execs