BlackRock says artificial intelligence agents could become a major new source of demand for crypto, arguing that autonomous software needs payment rails built for machine-speed, sub-cent transactions. The asset manager points to bitcoin and stablecoins as the assets best suited to that role.
BlackRock says artificial intelligence and digital assets are starting to converge, with AI models showing a preference for bitcoin and stablecoins. The $15 trillion asset manager laid out the case in a new report titled "The Machine-Native Economy".
Card networks too slow for machines, BlackRock argues
BlackRock's report argues that card networks and automated clearing houses depend on human-driven onboarding, carry fees that make tiny payments uneconomic, and settle too slowly for software. As AI agents begin booking travel, buying data, and renting computing power on their own, the firm says they will need payment systems that run around the clock and can handle transactions worth fractions of a cent.
The report said crypto-native blockchain rails are suited to high-frequency, sub-cent, machine-to-machine transactions that run around the clock, including API calls, on-demand data, and consumption-based compute.
BlackRock's report cited Bitcoin Policy Institute research finding that "controlled simulations generally favored stablecoins for everyday payments and bitcoin for long-term value preservation."
BlackRock's bitcoin fund leads the ETF market
BlackRock has long praised bitcoin and other crypto applications built on its technology, including the tokenization of assets. The Securities and Exchange Commission approved BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust in 2024, and the fund has since attracted the most investment and trading volume of any U.S. bitcoin ETF, now managing over $67 billion in assets.
BlackRock has previously said bitcoin sits in an asset class of its own, with investors buying it to hedge against potential debt crises. As AI adoption broadens, the firm argues, digital assets could become increasingly integral to AI's economic infrastructure, expanding utility across stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, and native crypto assets that support blockchain settlement.
Source: Bitcoin Magazine
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