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

The current financial system was built around human limitations, including geographical constraints, sleep patterns, and physical presence. However, with the emergence of AI agents as economic participants, this human-centric design is becoming a hindrance, according to Nikil Viswanathan, co-founder of crypto firm Alchemy. Viswanathan argues that crypto was, in fact, designed for AI agents, not humans. The traditional financial system is characterized by operating hours, country-specific payments, and credit cards that require physical identity and presence, all of which are limitations that AI agents do not face. AI agents operate around the clock, are not bound by geographical locations, and do not rely on physical infrastructure or identity. As a result, they require a financial system that is global, always-on, and programmable. Crypto offers exactly that, providing a seamless and efficient way for AI agents to transact across borders. According to Viswanathan, the complexity of crypto, which has long been a barrier for humans, is actually a strength when it comes to AI agents. The use of code, private keys, and seed phrases, which can be daunting for humans, is native to AI agents. Viswanathan compares the shift from human-centric crypto tools to AI-centric 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, crypto is more powerful for AI agents because it is designed for machines. Looking ahead, Viswanathan envisions a future where AI agents sit on top of crypto infrastructure, handling complexity, managing wallets, and optimizing capital flows in real-time. This would result in a more global, programmable, and autonomous financial system, with AI agents operating finance and humans interacting with it through a user-friendly interface.