Crypto Designed for AI, Not Humans, According to Alchemy CEO

The existing financial system was never intended for machine-based transactions. Instead, it was built around human limitations such as geographical location, sleep patterns, paperwork, and physical presence. However, as AI agents start to participate in economic activities, this human-centric design is becoming a hindrance, according to Alchemy co-founder Nikil Viswanathan. Viswanathan states, 'You can argue that crypto was built for AI agents, not humans.' The disparity is evident everywhere, with banks operating on human schedules, payments tied to countries, and credit cards requiring physical identity and presence. In contrast, AI agents operate around the clock, have no physical location, and do not rely on traditional banking systems or credit cards. They are increasingly involved in transactions, not just assisting with tasks. 'All transactions for agents are online and inherently global,' Viswanathan explained in an interview. This is where cryptocurrency starts to emerge as the native infrastructure for a new type of economic actor, rather than an alternative financial system. Alchemy, a crypto infrastructure company, provides developers with the necessary tools and services to build blockchain-based applications, including APIs, node infrastructure, and data services. Traditional finance is based on the assumption of friction, with cross-border payments involving currency exchanges, intermediaries, delays, and fees. However, for AI agents, this is impractical. Agents require seamless, borderless transactions at any time, often in small increments, as well as programmability and direct control over funds via code. They also need systems that do not rely on physical infrastructure or identity. Cryptocurrency offers exactly that: a global, always-on financial layer where value can be transferred as easily as data. 'Crypto is the global infrastructure for money that agents need,' Viswanathan said. The complexity of cryptocurrency, including seed phrases, private keys, and interacting with code, is actually a strength when it comes to machine-based transactions. Unlike humans, AI agents operate natively in code, reading in zeros and ones. 'That's also the language of crypto,' Viswanathan noted. For years, cryptocurrency has attempted to become more user-friendly for humans, but its underlying architecture was never intended for human use. Viswanathan compares the shift from human-centric crypto tools to AI-driven crypto tools to the transition from the postal system to the internet. Just as email is more powerful than the postal system because it is designed for computers, cryptocurrency is more suited for AI agents. Looking ahead, Viswanathan envisions a future where AI agents will operate on top of crypto infrastructure, handling complexity, managing wallets, executing transactions, and optimizing capital flows in real-time. This will enable people to control their funds more easily. 'You can write code to manage a crypto wallet, but you can't do the same with a bank account,' Viswanathan said. The result will be a more global, programmable, and autonomous financial system. Viswanathan sees a layered future, with traditional finance and crypto at the base, an agent layer operating on top, and a human interface above that. 'Just like computers operate the internet and humans use it, agents will operate finance,' he said.