Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has pushed back on the idea that artificial intelligence will displace crypto, arguing that “agentic” AI—software systems that initiate actions—will increase demand for programmable, crypto-based payments. In a post on X, Armstrong framed AI agents as a new class of economic actors that will need rails and settlement mechanisms beyond traditional banking.

Armstrong pointed to Coinbase’s Base network, USDC, and its x402 payment protocol as key infrastructure for autonomous machine-to-machine payments. His comments follow mounting industry interest in using blockchain networks as the payments layer for AI agents, including coverage that agentic payment activity on Base surpassed 100 million transactions in June.

Key takeaways

• Armstrong argues AI agents will need programmable money, not conventional bank checkout rails, strengthening crypto’s role in finance.
• Coinbase’s “AiFi” framing ties Base (scalability), USDC (stable settlement), and x402 (automated payment flows) into a single payment stack.
• Chainalysis reported that x402-based agentic payments on Base crossed 100 million transactions in roughly nine months of tracked activity.
• Updated methodology and figures were requested, but Chainalysis had not responded by publication time, leaving some measurement details unconfirmed.

Armstrong’s “AI doesn’t replace crypto” message

Armstrong’s argument is essentially about incentives and infrastructure. Rather than treating AI as a competitor to blockchain, he claims AI’s “megatrend” effect will amplify demand for financial services that can be triggered automatically and executed reliably by software.

On X, Armstrong linked this to the concept of agentic finance, or AiFi—the idea that AI agents will participate in the digital economy by initiating transactions and accessing services without human intervention. In that world, he suggested, payments need to be programmable and accessible to autonomous systems, which he contrasted with traditional banking rails designed around accounts and manual authorization.

Coinbase’s AiFi stack: Base, x402 and USDC

Coinbase’s approach centers on three building blocks: Base as the underlying network, x402 as a payment protocol for autonomous software payments, and USDC as the dollar-pegged stablecoin used for settlement.

Base was launched in 2023 as an Ethereum layer-2 network aimed at making onchain applications faster and cheaper to use. Coinbase positioned Base as general-purpose blockchain infrastructure rather than a network specifically engineered for AI payments.

Two years later, Coinbase introduced x402, a payment protocol built around the HTTP “402 Payment Required” standard. The intent is to enable automated stablecoin payments between software applications—allowing agents and other autonomous systems to pay for digital resources like APIs or data without relying on traditional account-driven checkout flows.

USDC, launched in 2018 by Circle and the Coinbase-backed Centre Consortium, is one of the assets used for x402 payments. In the AiFi framing, USDC provides the stable value layer while x402 standardizes how software applications request payment and complete transfers.

Taken together, Base + x402 + USDC are designed to make it easier for autonomous systems to interact economically onchain—an architecture Armstrong appears to believe will be increasingly necessary as AI agents become more active in commerce, data access, and service provisioning.

What Chainalysis measured on Base

Beyond Coinbase’s vision, the debate has increasingly moved to onchain activity—especially whether “agentic payments” are showing up in measurable transaction patterns. In a June report, Chainalysis said agentic payments on Base using x402 surpassed 100 million transactions within roughly nine months of activity.

Chainalysis described its measurement approach as identifying x402-related payment flows onchain. It also noted that transactions worth at least $1 accounted for 95% of total value transferred, indicating that the majority of transferred economic value was not concentrated solely in very small transfers.

The analytics firm further reported behavioral differences between agentic participants and typical Base users: it said agentic payment wallets were generally newer, held more asset types, and maintained smaller balances on average than Base users in general.

Cointelegraph asked Chainalysis for updated x402 activity figures and more details about its tracking methodology, but the firm had not responded by the time of publication. That leaves a gap for readers who want the latest numbers and confirmation of how the methodology may evolve as activity scales.

Earnings calendar adds context for the timing

Armstrong’s push comes as Coinbase prepares to report second quarter earnings on Thursday. According to consensus data compiled by Yahoo Finance, analysts expect revenue of $1.29 billion and estimate sales to fall 13.8% year over year, with earnings per share projected to be flat.

While the earnings outlook is separate from the AiFi debate, it matters for investors because it frames how quickly infrastructure narratives may translate into business momentum. If activity around agentic payments continues to expand—especially in ways that attract developers and integrate stablecoin payments—Coinbase may view it as an additional growth lane on top of broader onchain adoption.

For now, the key question is whether agentic payment activity remains a measurable trend as adoption broadens beyond early x402 use cases. Readers should watch for fresh Chainalysis updates, more clarity on how “agentic” behavior is classified onchain, and whether Coinbase’s AiFi push leads to sustained developer and payment integrations on Base.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is pushing back against calls for crypto to pivot to artificial intelligence, arguing AI agents will instead stoke demand for crypto-based financial services.

Armstrong took to X on Sunday to tout agentic finance (AiFi), highlighting Coinbase’s Base network, USDC and x402 as the infrastructure for autonomous machine-to-machine payments.

“AI being a megatrend takes nothing away from crypto,” Armstrong wrote, because AI agents will need programmable money rather than traditional banking rails. “If anything, it makes crypto more important,” he added.

His comments come as crypto companies increasingly position blockchain networks as payment infrastructure for AI agents, with agentic payment activity on Base topping 100 million transactions in June.

How Coinbase’s AiFi stack came together

Armstrong’s AiFi vision centers on the idea that AI agents will become active participants in the digital economy, making payments and interacting with financial services without human intervention.

Coinbase launched Base in 2023 as an Ethereum layer-2 network designed to make onchain applications faster and cheaper to use. The network was built as general-purpose blockchain infrastructure rather than specifically for AI payments.

Two years later, Coinbase introduced x402, a payment protocol built around the HTTP “402 Payment Required” standard that enables automated stablecoin payments between software applications. The protocol allows AI agents and other autonomous systems to pay for digital resources such as APIs and data without traditional accounts or manual checkout flows.

Related: Base’s 1:1-backed tokenized equities launch ‘imminent,’ Pollak says

USDC, the dollar-pegged stablecoin launched by Circle and Coinbase-backed Centre Consortium in 2018, is one of the assets used for x402 payments, allowing software agents to make automated transactions.

Base, x402 and USDC together form the core of Coinbase’s current approach to building infrastructure for agentic payments.

Coinbase is slated to report second quarter earnings on Thursday. Analysts average is for revenue of $1.29 billion, with sales estimated to show a 13.8% decline over last year’s comparable period, Yahoo Finance data shows. Earnings per share are expected to be flat.

Base agentic activity tops 100 million transactions

Chainalysis reported in June that agentic payments on Base via x402 surpassed 100 million transactions within roughly nine months of activity.

The analytics firm said it tracked the activity by identifying x402-related payment flows onchain, with transactions worth at least $1 accounting for 95% of total value transferred.

Source: Chainalysis

Chainalysis also found that agentic payment wallets were typically newer, held more asset types and carried smaller balances than average Base users.

Cointelegraph asked Chainalysis for updated x402 activity figures and details on its tracking methodology, but the firm had not responded by publication time.

Magazine: CLARITY hopes fade, BitMEX shuts as lawsuit looms: Hodler’s Digest, July 26

Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, plans to roll out crypto trading infrastructure by December 2026. The announcement comes ahead of new regulations for crypto trading, custody, and settlement that come into force from September 1, 2026.

Russia’s crypto push comes as the European Union readies new sanctions targeting the country over the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

Sberbank Plans Crypto Infrastructure Rollout

Sberbank plans to build and launch critical crypto trading infrastructure, including a digital depository, by December 1, 2026. The bank is leading Moscow’s efforts to bring cryptocurrency trading, custody, and settlement into the mainstream financial system. Sberbank’s announcement comes after Russia approved new rules for cryptocurrency exchanges, brokers, banks, and digital depositories. The new regulations come into force on September 1, 2026. Companies will also be given additional time to ensure compliance with the new requirements.

“Russia’s Largest Bank Sberbank Plans Crypto Trading Infrastructure: Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, plans to build cryptocurrency trading infrastructure and launch a digital custody system by Dec. 1 to support regulated crypto trading, custody and settlement.” – Wu Blockchain

The digital depository will record cryptocurrency ownership and process transactions outside the primary blockchain. Sberbank will also operate wallets for client deposits, withdrawals, and transfers. Alexander Vedyakhin, first deputy chairman of Sberbank’s management board, stated,

“One of the key elements of the new infrastructure will be a digital depository, which will maintain records of clients’ cryptocurrency rights and account for transactions outside the main blockchain. It will also facilitate transactions on active wallets to fulfill clients’ currency transfer orders.”

However, the bank is yet to disclose eligibility, fees, withdrawal limits, or which cryptocurrencies are supported by the framework.

Sberbank Expanding Crypto Services

Sberbank joined Russia’s register of information system operators in 2022, and has since issued several digital financial assets and products linked to Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and other assets. As mentioned earlier, the bank was already working on a digital asset depository and cryptocurrency wallet. It could also give customers access to foreign cryptocurrency exchanges depending on prevailing regulatory requirements. Sberbank has also dabbled in cryptocurrency-backed lending, completing a pilot loan with Bitcoin miner Intellion Data. According to reports, the bank has considered offering similar loans to corporate customers.

Russia’s Crypto Market Framework

Russian lawmakers concluded a final reading on a bill to regulate cryptocurrencies in the country. The bill gives the Bank of Russia oversight of the cryptocurrency market, including the authority to dictate which cryptocurrencies are offered through licensed intermediaries. The bill categorizes market participants, dictating which entities can buy, sell, hold, and exchange crypto assets once the framework comes into effect. The Bank of Russia has set an average market capitalization of over 5 trillion rubles (~$64 billion) and an average 24-hour volume of 1 trillion rubles (~$12.8 billion) over two years for cryptocurrencies offered under the framework.

Moscow’s push for a regulated crypto framework comes as the EU imposed another tranche of sanctions and also listed the HTX cryptocurrency exchange in the sanctions for “providing crypto asset services or payment services established outside of the Union that are significantly frustrating the purpose of the prohibitions against Russia.”

EU officials have also barred Belarusian nationals and residents from owning, controlling, or managing cryptocurrency exchanges in compliance with the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) framework.

According to the Bank of Russia, the new framework allows investors to purchase crypto assets through regulated intermediaries. However, qualified and non-qualified investors are subject to different limits. Both qualified and non-qualified investors must pass a test to become eligible to purchase crypto assets. However, qualified investors can access more cryptocurrencies and are not subject to an annual limit when investing. On the other hand, non-qualified investors can access limited digital assets and can only purchase 300,000 rubles worth of crypto per year through a single intermediary.

Russian Companies Prepare For New Framework

Other entities are also preparing for the new framework. VTB and T-Bank are developing their own digital depository services, while the Moscow Exchange is considering offering regulated crypto operations. Alfa Bank has also tested custody tools and cryptocurrency services, a clear indicator that major players in Russia’s financial sector are preparing themselves before the licensing deadline.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

Interest rates could set the direction for crypto this week, with the Federal Reserve, Bank of England and Bank of Japan all expected to hold while markets look for signs that higher energy prices have brought further tightening closer.

CME’s FedWatch shows a 33% chance of a U.S. rate increase, while prediction markets odds are at 19%, up from next to nothing earlier in the month. Gregory Daco, the chief economist for EY-Parthenon, said September could be the first meaningful test of the Fed’s stance, CBS News reported.

More immediate tests come Thursday, with U.S. second-quarter GDP and June Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) due. Strong growth alongside persistent inflation would reinforce higher-for-longer interest-rate expectations and pressure crypto prices through higher yields and a stronger dollar, while softer readings could unwind that trade.

All 70 economists in a Reuters poll expected the BOE to hold at 3.75%, while the BOJ is forecast to remain at 1% before potentially raising rates again later this year.

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South Korea has moved to deepen venture capital ties with Silicon Valley as President Lee Jae-myung has urged six of the world’s largest venture capital firms to invest in Korean startups while the National Pension Service has signed long-term investment cooperation agreements with them.

According to South Korean newspaper Asiae, President Lee Jae-myung has asked six major Silicon Valley venture capital firms, including Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Khosla Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, General Catalyst and New Enterprise Associates (NEA), to increase investments in South Korean startups as the country pushes to attract more global capital into its technology sector.

The report said the National Pension Service (NPS) also signed separate memorandums of understanding with the six venture capital firms to establish long-term investment cooperation, creating a framework to explore investment opportunities together, exchange market information and strengthen links between Korea’s startup ecosystem and global venture capital networks.

The latest agreements come as the South Korean government continues introducing policies designed to draw overseas investors into domestic technology companies while supporting local innovation through public funding initiatives.

Silicon Valley firms join Korea’s startup investment push

Asiae said the government is pairing the new venture capital partnerships with its planned National Growth Fund, a 200 trillion won investment vehicle expected to support future industries including artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

The publication said market participants expect policy funding, private investment and overseas capital to enter the Korean venture ecosystem at the same time if the initiatives move forward as planned. Technology sectors such as AI and semiconductors are expected to receive increased investor attention under that framework.

Rather than treating the agreements as a source of capital alone, the newspaper said Silicon Valley firms also bring decades of experience identifying early-stage technology companies, helping founders build growth strategies and connecting startups with international markets.

According to Asiae, firms such as Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz have previously backed companies that later developed into major global technology businesses, giving Korean startups access not only to funding but also to operational knowledge and international business networks.

The publication argued, however, that attracting overseas investment should not become the government’s only objective.

Asiae said policymakers now face a second challenge after securing investor interest by creating conditions that encourage successful startups to continue expanding from South Korea instead of relocating high-value operations overseas.

The editorial said the country should strengthen tax rules surrounding stock options so startups can compete more effectively for skilled employees while also improving visa policies and long-term residency conditions for foreign founders, engineers and technical specialists.

In addition, the newspaper said South Korea should develop stronger exit opportunities through mergers and acquisitions alongside public listings, arguing that a healthier acquisition market would provide investors with more ways to realize returns.

The publication also called for closer cooperation between universities, research institutions and startup companies so academic technologies can move into commercial businesses more efficiently. Improving English-language disclosures and simplifying investment-related administrative procedures would also make Korea more attractive to international investors, according to the report.

Asiae argued that business-friendly conditions, rather than restrictive regulations, will ultimately determine whether companies continue building products and creating jobs inside the country.

National Pension Service faces calls to preserve investment independence

Alongside the government’s efforts to attract foreign investors, the National Pension Service has become one of the key institutions participating in the cooperation agreements.

Asiae said the pension fund should continue making investment decisions independently despite its partnerships with globally recognized venture capital firms.

According to the newspaper, the retirement savings managed by the NPS should not become a policy instrument for industrial development, adding that investment decisions should continue following established return and risk principles.

The publication also cautioned that partnerships with internationally known venture capital firms do not eliminate investment risks simply because of their reputations.

Industry participants cited by Asiae also warned that excessive capital flowing into a small number of highly sought-after startups could inflate company valuations, creating pressure if those valuations later decline during initial public offerings or merger transactions. Such corrections could reduce investment returns for participating funds.

South Korea expands digital finance alongside startup investment

The latest venture capital initiative comes as South Korea continues expanding investment and financial infrastructure across its technology sector.

Earlier this month, Mirae Asset completed its acquisition of cryptocurrency exchange Korbit after receiving regulatory approval, becoming the first affiliate of a traditional Korean financial group to acquire a domestic crypto exchange. The company has said the acquisition is intended to support future business opportunities tied to digital assets.

Separate partnerships have also emerged across the country’s digital finance industry. Circle recently signed memorandums of understanding with Kakao Group and fintech operator Toss to study blockchain payments, stablecoin infrastructure and cross-border settlement, while stressing that the agreements focus on infrastructure rather than launching a Korean won stablecoin.

At the same time, South Korean authorities have continued developing blockchain-based payment systems through the Bank of Korea’s Project Hangang. Last week, government agencies launched a 9.6 billion won project to extend CBDC-backed deposit token payments into commercial use, with commercial banks, payment companies and merchants participating in the next stage of testing.