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

The current financial system was not built with machines in mind, but rather around human limitations such as geography, sleep patterns, and physical presence. However, as AI agents start to participate in the economy, this human-centric design is becoming a hindrance, according to Nikil Viswanathan, co-founder of the crypto firm Alchemy. Viswanathan suggests that cryptocurrency was actually designed for AI agents, not humans. The traditional financial system is based on human constraints, with banks having limited hours, payments tied to countries, and credit cards requiring physical identity and presence. In contrast, AI agents operate around the clock, are not bound by geography, and do not require physical presence. They are increasingly able to perform transactions on their own. All transactions involving AI agents are online and global, making cryptocurrency a more suitable infrastructure for these economic actors. Alchemy, a crypto infrastructure company, provides the necessary tools and services for developers to build blockchain-based applications. Traditional finance is based on friction, with cross-border payments involving currency exchanges, intermediaries, and fees. However, AI agents require seamless, programmable, and direct control over transactions. Cryptocurrency offers a global, always-on financial layer that allows value to move easily, making it an ideal infrastructure for AI agents. The complexity of cryptocurrency, including seed phrases and private keys, is actually a strength when it comes to machine-based transactions. Viswanathan compares the shift from human-centric crypto tools to AI-centric ones to the transition from the postal system to the internet. In the future, AI agents will operate on top of crypto infrastructure, handling complexity and managing transactions, making it easier for people to control their funds. This will result in a more global, programmable, and autonomous financial system.