Alchemy CEO: Cryptocurrency was Designed for AI, Not Humans

The current financial system is based on human limitations such as geography, 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 Alchemy co-founder Nikil Viswanathan. 'You can argue that crypto was built for AI agents, not humans,' he stated. The traditional financial system is constrained by factors like operating hours, country-based payments, and physical identity, which are not applicable to AI agents. These agents operate around the clock, are not bound by geographical locations, and do not require physical presence or identity verification. As a result, they are increasingly involved in online transactions. Viswanathan noted that all transactions for AI agents are online and global, which is where cryptocurrency comes into play. It provides a native infrastructure for these agents, enabling seamless and rapid transactions across borders. Alchemy, a crypto infrastructure company, offers the necessary tools and services for developers to build blockchain-based applications. The company's APIs, node infrastructure, and data services support a wide range of applications, from financial apps to non-fungible tokens and games. According to Viswanathan, traditional finance is built on the assumption of friction, which is normal for humans but unusable for AI agents. These agents require programmability, direct control over money via code, and systems that do not depend on physical infrastructure or identity. Cryptocurrency offers exactly that: a global, always-on financial layer where value can move as easily as data. The complexity of cryptocurrency, which has long been a challenge for humans, is actually a strength for machines. AI agents operate natively in code and can read zeros and ones, which is also the language of cryptocurrency. Viswanathan compared the shift from crypto tools being built for humans to being used by AI agents 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 similar. Looking ahead, Viswanathan envisions a future where AI agents will sit on top of crypto infrastructure, handling complexity automatically and managing wallets, transactions, and capital flows in real-time. This will enable people to control their funds more easily. The result will be a financial system that is more global, programmable, and autonomous, with a layered structure consisting of traditional finance and crypto as the base, an agent layer operating on top, and a human interface above that.