BlackRock Says Blockchain Will Evolve Into Core Payments Network for AI Agent Economy

BlackRock said blockchain will evolve from a speculation-driven trading tool into decentralized payments infrastructure for artificial intelligence agents.

In a recent white paper on AI and digital assets, the global asset manager said the spread of AI agents that can operate autonomously in the economy is increasing the importance of financial payment networks that support machine-to-machine transactions.

It identified three key areas where AI and digital assets are converging: machine-to-machine micropayments, automated trading of tokenized financial assets, and the financialization of computing resources.

In transactions between AI agents, stablecoins are poised to serve as a core payment tool because they can handle repeated micropayments without human intervention. BlackRock cited the x402 protocol, Stripe and Tempo's MPP, and OpenAI's ACP as technologies that could enable that.

BlackRock also said AI's role in the tokenized financial assets market will expand. AI agents could use smart contracts to trade tokenized real-world assets directly or manage funds.

The firm also highlighted models that convert computing resources into digital assets. That could create a new market in which computing power needed for AI operations is turned into a financial asset that can be traded or used as collateral.

BlackRock said growth in the stablecoin market and improvements in the regulatory environment are laying the groundwork for that shift. According to the white paper, adjusted stablecoin transaction volume exceeded $11 trillion last year. Regulatory frameworks are also taking shape in the US, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

BlackRock said blockchain will develop beyond a speculative market centered on retail investors into a decentralized value settlement network supporting an autonomous AI agent economy.