The epoch of deeper integrations between artificial intelligence and blockchain is coming. Artificial intelligence agents (AI agents) might be emerging as the first implementation of self-governed software on decentralized networks.

Why do you need AI agents to enhance your Web3 journey? Which risks and limitations are already obvious for this technology? And which projects should not be overlooked in the nascent AI agents segment? Find out in our new guide.

AI agents in crypto: Highlights

In the segments of cryptocurrencies and blockchain, AI agents are in the spotlight in 2025 since various AI implementations become more and more popular.

• Artificial intelligence agents or AI agents represent a class of self-governed software programs that can simulate human activity with predetermined tasks;
• In blockchain, AI agents can be integrated with on-chain wallets (public addresses) and perform some tasks in an automated manner;
• Namely, AI agents can authorize transactions, execute cross-currency swaps, mint/burn tokens and even manage DAOs;
• More sophisticated AI agents can totally automate cryptocurrency trading, portfolio management, liquidity transfers and so on;
• In October 2024, Coinbase, a leading U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, made headlines with its own AI agent announcement.
• Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (formerly Fetch.ai, FET), Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL), SingularityNET (AGIX) are the three largest AI agent cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

Despite the segment being in its very infancy, the net capitalization of AI agent tokens on CoinGecko targets $13 billion in equivalent. In total, the AI agents market is predicted to reach a $40 billion valuation in five years.

What is AI?

AI or artificial intelligence is an umbrella term for the class of technologies that simulate the process of human intelligence. Simply put, it allows computers to think like humans. As a result, AI-powered machines can solve the tasks that previously required the human brain.

Despite the term itself being very old, AI sparked into popularity in 2022-2023 thanks to the experiments of U.S. non-profit OpenAI. Its chatbot ChatGPT made the usage of AI mainstream even for users with no previous tech background. 

Modern AI applications can generate content, solve mathematical problems, trade cryptocurrencies, suggest business strategies and so on.

What are AI cryptos?

AI cryptocurrencies or AI cryptos are altcoins somehow associated with artificial intelligence protocols. They can either be used as a fundraising instrument, monetization tool, or just as part of the marketing narrative for this or that project.

AI cryptos gained traction immediately upon the spike of OpenAI’s ChatGPT popularity in early 2023. The vast majority of them only used AI-related terminology as part of their promo strategy. However, the most prominent ones were really integrated into artificial intelligence systems.

Cardano-linked project SingularityNET (AGI) and Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET, formerly known as Fetch.ai) are the oldest mainstream AI cryptocurrencies.

AI and blockchain: Use cases

AI mechanisms can be integrated into blockchains in various ways. They can be useful in operating large volumes of data, retrieving insights on different types of processes and automating resource management.

Data storage

AI instruments can fuel decentralized data storage systems like Filecoin (FIL), Render (RENDER) and so on. They can guarantee the integrity of such systems, support the interaction between their various elements and optimize their cost-effectiveness.

DePIN

In decentralized physical infrastructure networks or DePINs, AI software can guarantee optimized resources management, fair and inclusive monetization, censorship-resistance and enhanced availability of DePIN data.

Automated trading on DEXes

Actually, AI-powered trading bots on centralized exchanges represented the first-ever mainstream use case for AI in the Web3 sphere. The bots placed and executed orders, tracked trends, alerted traders about potential opportunities and so on. In the current stage of AI and blockchain synergy, such mechanisms can also be deployed to decentralized exchanges like Uniswap (UNI) or Aerodrome Finance (AERO).

What are AI agents?

AI agents are isolated software programs that can solve tasks that typically require human intelligence. Simply put, if AI itself can be compared to a blockchain, AI agents are smart contracts. As they leverage the latest developments of artificial intelligence and machine learning, AI agents can perform really sophisticated actions from booking tickets to creating marketing strategies.

In cryptocurrency, AI agents can interact with blockchain addresses and simulate human activity in trading, liquidity provision, assets management, minting of stablecoins and NFTs and even participation in DAOs.

Basically, to launch and use AI agents, its owner or operator should go through the following steps:

1. Setting goals. For instance, a hypothetical AI agent can be instructed by its operator to mint a new meme coin on Pump.fun or Sun.pump.
2. Acquiring information. This AI agent, in turn, can retrieve information about the design of the token logo and its specifications as well as for the gas funding account from a predetermined source (script).
3. Implementing tasks. The owner should message the AI agent the details of mint and authorize the process via on-chain or off-chain (Telegram API, for instance) tools.

As such, the rise of AI agents might totally reshape the way we understand cryptocurrency and earn in this segment.

Coinbase launches crypto AI agent creator: What to know

On Oct. 26, 2024, Coinbase, a leading U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, announced the launch of Based Agent, a platform designed to allow everyone to create their own AI agents from scratch. The platform is low-code: It relies on Replit developer environment, Coinbase Software Development Kit and OpenAI’s AI products.

As explained by Lincoln Murr, product manager for on-chain AI developments in Coinbase, to start creating simple AI agents, one should create API keys on Coinbase and OpenAI and fork Replit.

In a video below, Murr demonstrates how he creates and runs an AI agent capable of launching crypto tokens on Base in less than 60 seconds.

Besides Base, Coinbase’s Based Agent works on Ethereum (ETH), Polygon (POL) and Arbitrum (ARB), three dominant EVM blockchains.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong hinted at even more impressive features of novel AI agents that can be possibly created on Based Agent:

Create an AI agent with a crypto wallet (and optional X account) in less than 3 minutes. Based Agent!

As such, Coinbase’s Based Agent tool allows users of Coinbase SDK to create their own AI agents with only basic coding skills in mainstream programming languages.

AI agents cryptos: List

A number of cryptocurrency projects associated with AI agents launched their own cryptocurrencies. Typically, they are used as monetization tools, node rewards, staking assets, or voting instruments in referendums.

Artificial Superintelligence Alliance — formerly Fetch.AI (FET)

Launched in 2017 as Fetch.ai, Artificial Superintelligence Alliance is well known for its AI token FET, one of the largest cryptocurrencies in the segment. The project is building a marketplace of AI agents where one can find suitable solutions for business or develop new AI agents in a lego-like manner.

Designed for developers, Fetch.AI multi-agent framework is a modular tech stack for building multi-agent systems powered by LLMs and AI/ML. That said, the project offers comprehensive tooling for building AI agents for businesses on blockchain.

Right now, the FET token is in the middle of a merger with SingularityNET (AGI) and Ocean Protocol (OCEAN).

Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL)

Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) is a no-code AI agents launcher introduced in 2023. It allows users to set up and run their own AI agents without writing a single line of code. Its offerings are not necessarily associated with cryptocurrency wallets. For instance, its AI agents can create digital content: music, games, images and so on.

For its simplicity, Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) is often compared to Solana’s meme coin launcher Pump.Fun. On Virtuals Protocol, developers can create dApps with AI agents, share ownership and earn rewards for their contributions.

SingularityNET (AGIX)

Launched in early 2017 by Dr. Ben Goertzel, SingularityNET (AGIX) is promoted as the first-ever decentralized AI network. It offers an ecosystem of products including a holistic framework for AI research, AI-Domain Specific Language (DSL), which is actually an autonomous network of AI agents, a “knowledge graph” for AI data and so on.

Initially, SingularityNET (AGIX) gained traction thanks to its affiliation with Cardano (ADA), one of the largest proof-of-stake (PoS) coins, and its android Sophia The Robot.

Now, SingularityNET (AGIX) is part of an ecosystem of various AI-focused teams. As mentioned above, the token AGIX will be merged with FET and OCEAN and reintroduced as ASI, a one-stop AI agent cryptocurrency.

Spectral (SPEC)

Spectral (SPEC) launched in 2022 as the first AI agent platform tailored specifically for on-chain trading. It allows users to deploy and run AI agents on DEXes in a no-code manner. For instance, on Spectral (SPEC), one can instruct a crypto wallet to track Vitalik Buterin’s crypto account and follow all his deals with a $100 budget and so on.

It is also integrated with all major social media APIs, including X, Farcaster, Facebook, for tracking audience sentiment and making informed decisions. During the entire process of integration, Spectral (SPEC) has no access to users’ private keys.

Autonolas (OLAS)

AI agents cryptocurrency Autonolas (OLAS) launched on the Polygon (POL) blockchain in July 2023. Its offering includes Olas Protocol, a multi-chain protocol that coordinates, incentivizes and guides its participants toward Olas’ goals, accompanied with Olas Stack, an open-source framework that enables developers to build autonomous agents.

Autonolas (OLAS) agents can solve on-chain tasks. They can also be co-owned by contributors interested in profits sharing, bonding on-chain and off-chain data and so on. Right now, Autonolas (OLAS) mechanisms are active on a growing list of EVM blockchains, including Ethereum, Optimism and Base.

Oraichain (ORAI)

Initially introduced in early 2020, Oraichain (ORAI) started mainnet operations in February 2021. Oraichain (ORAI) promotes itself as the world's first Layer 1 of AI blockchain oracle. Oraichain’s (ORAI) developments can be used in DeFi, NFTs, identity management, RWAs tokenization, smart healthcare and more.

Besides third-party solutions leveraging Oraichain’s (ORAI) capacities, it incubated a clutch of its own AI products, including the likes of KawaiiQ, Cupiie and other tools. The platform collaborates with other L1s attempting to achieve seamless compatibility with SysCoin, Kardiachain, Astar, Tron and other blockchains on EVM and CosmWasm.

Phala (PHA)

Active since early 2020, Phala Network (PHA) initially launched as a Polkadot (DOT) parachain. Its token PHA also had Ethereum- and Kusama-based versions. The protocol works as an AI co-processor for modern L1 blockchains on 25+ networks.

The project is designed to let major Web2 apps (like X, ChatGPT, Facebook, Google Mail) interact with programmable blockchains to accomplish business and personal goals. Phala Network (PHA) also has its own decentralized GPU networks with thousands of units all over the globe.

Artificial Liquid Intelligence (ALI)

Artificial Liquid Intelligence (ALI), also known as Alethea’s AI token, is part of an eponymous Onchain Agentic AI Characters creator. With its own image generation AI model, CharacterGPT v2, it allows users to launch AI companions in a no-code manner. Thanks to the interaction with on-chain accounts, these text-to-image characters can be ownable by humans.

Besides regular AI use cases (digital guides, digital twins), Artificial Liquid Intelligence (ALI) allows users to create and exchange licensed collectibles based on characters and other exotic applications of generative AI.

NetMind Token (NMT)

NetMind Token (NMT) is the core native multi-utility cryptocurrency of NetMind, an L1 blockchain specially tailored for deployment of AI applications. Technically, it acts as a distributed network of GPUs where anyone can either lease or borrow their resources. Therefore, the NetMind project is an example of technology based at the intersection of AI, blockchain and DePIN.

NMT also can be staked by the project’s supporters to back one of its nodes and generate periodical rewards.

TriasLab (TRIAS)

Launched in 2021, Trias (TRIAS) by TriasLab is a Layer 1 blockchain focused on bringing cross-network interoperability to the AI segment. Besides AI applications, it also enables tech platforms for RWAs tokenization, DeFi apps deployment and so on.

Initially launched on BNB Smart Chain, the TRIAS token then migrated to its own L1 blockchain with smart contracts.

To sum up, it is safe to say that the segment of AI agents is surging day by day with new L1s for AI development launching here and there.

AI agents cryptocurrencies: Brief review

In this summary, let’s check out quick facts about the largest AI agent cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

Also, six AI agent cryptocurrencies, including Commune AI (COMMAI), OORT (OORT), Twin Protocol (TWIN), achieved market caps over $10,000,000 in equivalent.

Bonus: Where to find top AI agents cryptos

CoinGecko, world’s largest independent tracker of cryptocurrency prices, introduced an automated dashboard for the AI agent segment. It can be found in the Categories menu or via the Search window in the upper right corner.

Top AI agents coins by market cap: CoinGecko

On CoinGecko, 27 AI agents coins with an aggregated market capitalization of $4.5 billion are tracked. The platform demonstrates price performance, trading volume dynamics, actual price on CEXes and DEXes as well as all key indicators for this or that AI agent crypto.

Also, AI agent coins can be found on CoinMarketCap’s Top AI Cryptos list. At the same time, it offers a broader range of currencies, so it might be confusing for newcomers. The tracker might be considering adding a top AI agent crypto menu later.

Closing thoughts

AI agents should be referred to as a class of autonomous programs capable of imitating human intelligence for solving business or personal tasks. In crypto, AI agents seamlessly interact with on-chain accounts on all programmable networks.

Crypto AI agents can perform tasks including buying and selling crypto coins on DEXes, locking liquidity, minting stablecoins, releasing NFTs and so on. As such, they can replace traders and liquidity providers with automated programs active 24/7.

On platforms like Spectral (SPEC), one can launch their own AI agent with no previous coding experience, while Coinbase offers specific SDKs for this type of program.

AI agent cryptos are native cryptocurrencies of the projects involved in creating and maintaining autonomous AI agents. FET and AGIX are the two largest AI agent cryptos among the assets of the previous generation, while VIRTUAL and SPEC are the largest novel AI agent coins.