In brief:
₿- Stablecoins are emerging as the backbone of a new digital economy, enabling both humans and AI agents to transact seamlessly with programmable, internet-native money.
₿- AI-driven financial systems are being built around stablecoin infrastructure, supporting autonomous payments and unlocking global access to faster, fairer financial services.
Coinbase is betting big on stablecoins as the next major force in the global economy. While most of the crypto spotlight has focused on Bitcoin and Ethereum, stablecoins are quietly gaining ground — and Coinbase believes they’re on track to power the financial systems of the future. In fact, the exchange sees them becoming the default currency not just for people, but for AI agents too.
The rise of agentic commerce
According to Coinbase Vice President Shan Aggarwal, stablecoins are now “eating legacy credit, debit, and banking networks,” offering programmable, 24/7 money that’s perfectly aligned with the digital world. In a recent post on X, Aggarwal called stablecoins the “future of global payments” and argued that their potential is still massively underestimated.
What makes this vision even more groundbreaking is the role of AI. A new type of economy is emerging—one where artificial intelligence takes the lead in managing, moving, and even making decisions about money. AI agents are expected to operate independently using self-custodial wallets, enabling them to send, receive, and hold stablecoins seamlessly. These bots will drive real-time, automated financial activity, ushering in a new era of programmable commerce built for the internet age.
Aggarwal envisions a future where AI agents — bots that can think, decide, and act autonomously — will use self-custodial wallets to send, receive, and store stablecoins.
“Every AI agent should have a wallet. Stablecoins are the native payment rails for agentic commerce.” With programmable, internet-native money, these bots could handle everything from settling invoices to managing subscriptions — all without human input.
Global impact, human benefits
Though much of this innovation sounds futuristic, its real-world benefits are immediate. Stablecoins could help billions of people — especially those in underbanked regions — access faster, cheaper, and more transparent financial services. They also help small businesses go digital, bringing cash-based operations into the global online economy.
Coinbase’s vision is clear: by 2030, stablecoins will be as common as credit cards — except smarter, faster, and built for the internet age.
Stablecoins bridging traditional finance and crypto
As the line between traditional finance and decentralised technologies continues to blur, stablecoins are emerging as a key component of that transition. Their ability to offer price stability, cross-border efficiency, and programmable use cases makes them an ideal bridge between old and new financial systems.
With growing institutional interest, positive regulatory momentum, and widespread adoption across industries, the stablecoin market appears ready to enter a new era of explosive growth.
Stay informed,
Rodcas Consulting Group