Coinbase has introduced a new feature called Agentic Wallets, which allows AI agents to fully manage crypto wallets — meaning they can spend, earn, and trade cryptocurrency on their own, without needing human approval every time. Users can set up permissions and controls to let these AI agents take care of trading and managing funds 24/7.

This is a major step forward in AI technology. While current AI assistants can answer questions or summarize documents, they can’t actually make financial decisions or execute transactions. Agentic Wallets change that by giving AI the ability to act — not just advise. These smart agents can now monitor DeFi (decentralized finance) platforms, adjust portfolios automatically, pay for services like cloud computing or data APIs, and even participate in digital creator economies.

Agentic Wallets are built using Coinbase’s AgentKit framework, first introduced in November 2024. This developer tool allows wallet features to be embedded directly into AI agents. These AI agents use Coinbase’s x402 protocol — a specialized payment system designed for autonomous AI — which has already processed over 50 million transactions.

With x402, AI agents can buy API keys, pay for computing power, access premium data, and manage storage — all on their own. This enables the creation of fully independent machine economies where AIs can operate without constant human involvement.

These AI agents can also run on Ethereum’s layer-2 network, Base, allowing them to find and act on the best opportunities across DeFi protocols. For example, if a better investment opportunity arises at 3 a.m., your AI can automatically move funds and rebalance your portfolio based on your pre-set rules — no need to wake up or press any buttons.

Meanwhile, Lightning Labs has introduced new tools that let AI agents use Bitcoin through the Lightning Network using the L402 protocol. These agents can run a Lightning node and handle Bitcoin payments without needing access to private keys, making transactions safer and more efficient.

In other developments, Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek launched ai.com — a platform where people can create their own personal AI assistants. These custom agents can manage everyday tasks like answering emails, setting up meetings, canceling subscriptions, shopping online, or planning trips.

Experts like Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire believe that billions of AI agents will soon handle daily payments using crypto and stablecoins. Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao also predicts that crypto will be the default currency for AI agents doing everything from buying event tickets to paying for dinner.

Outside the crypto world, Google recently announced its Universal Commerce Protocol, designed to power agent-led transactions. This system uses Google Pay as the payment method for U.S. dollar transfers and enables AI to act on behalf of users in commercial settings.

Keywords: Coinbase Agentic Wallets, AI agents crypto trading, x402 protocol, autonomous finance, DeFi management AI, Ethereum Base network, Lightning Network L402, ai.com personal assistants, machine economy crypto, Google Universal Commerce Protocol.