Experience the Dawn of Agentic Commerce at Consensus 2026

A seismic shift is underway in the world of commerce, driven by the convergence of artificial intelligence and blockchain payments. AI agents, capable of autonomous perception, decision-making, and action, are beginning to transact and interact with infrastructure in unprecedented ways. However, traditional payment systems are ill-equipped to handle the unique demands of these agents, creating friction and highlighting the need for new financial infrastructure. As the number of AI agents is expected to surpass the human population, the question of who will build and shape this infrastructure is becoming increasingly pressing. Consensus 2026 is poised to address this challenge, bringing together over 15,000 influential minds in crypto, AI, and finance to discuss the future of agentic commerce. MIT professor Christian Catalini draws a distinction between 'assisted checkout' and 'true agentic payments,' emphasizing that the latter requires AI to be the counterparty, enabling capabilities like atomic settlement and per-second payment streaming. This is not a distant prospect, but a near-term engineering problem that Consensus 2026 aims to tackle. Google Cloud's presence and investment in blockchain payment rails underscore the significance of agentic commerce, with Rich Widmann, Global Head of Strategy for Web3, acknowledging the need for infrastructure designed specifically for agents. The 'rails race' is heating up, with protocols like x402 and MPP emerging as contenders for the agentic stack. Consensus 2026 will provide a platform for these protocols to be showcased and debated, with experts like Erik Reppel and Stefano Bury discussing the future of agentic payments. For attendees seeking hands-on experience, CoinDesk University offers a comprehensive curriculum, covering the fundamentals of agentic payments and their implementation. As the window for shaping the future of agentic commerce is rapidly closing, Consensus 2026 presents a unique opportunity for builders, investors, and industry leaders to come together and define the course of this emerging landscape.