Coinbase Unveils Agentic Wallets for AI-Driven Crypto Transactions

Coinbase has launched Agentic Wallets designed to let artificial intelligence agents autonomously spend, trade and manage crypto assets onchain.

By Julia Sakovich Published: Updated:
Coinbase Unveils Agentic Wallets for AI-Driven Crypto Transactions
Coinbase introduces Agentic Wallets | Photo: Unsplash

Coinbase has introduced Agentic Wallets, a new crypto wallet framework built to enable artificial intelligence agents to execute blockchain transactions without direct human approval. The product allows AI systems to hold funds, trade tokens, pay network fees, and interact with decentralized applications autonomously. The launch signals Coinbase’s push to position itself at the intersection of digital assets and machine-driven finance.

The wallets are powered by the x402 protocol, a payment standard designed to facilitate machine-to-machine transactions. According to Coinbase, the protocol has processed more than 50 million transactions to date. Developers can deploy and fund Agentic Wallets using command-line tools, with built-in functions that support transfers, trading, and yield generation without requiring extensive blockchain engineering expertise.

Infrastructure for Autonomous Financial Activity

Agentic Wallets are integrated with Base, Coinbase’s Layer-2 network, and support gasless trading to reduce operational friction for autonomous agents. This feature is designed to prevent disruptions if an AI agent exhausts network fees during execution. By abstracting transaction costs and simplifying deployment, Coinbase aims to make blockchain interactions more accessible for automated systems.

The move reflects broader industry efforts to expand programmable finance beyond human-initiated transactions. As AI systems increasingly participate in data processing, trading analytics, and portfolio optimization, the ability to directly execute transactions could reshape operational workflows in decentralized finance and digital asset markets.

Guardrails and Institutional Considerations

Coinbase emphasized that autonomy is paired with risk controls. Agentic Wallets include programmable spending limits, session caps and compliance screening tools to manage exposure. Private keys are secured within Coinbase’s infrastructure, aligning with enterprise-grade custody standards.

The launch comes as financial institutions and technology firms explore AI integration in trading, treasury management, and digital payments. While regulatory frameworks for AI-driven financial activity remain under development, infrastructure providers are positioning for a future in which software agents act as economic participants.

By enabling AI systems to transact directly onchain, Coinbase is expanding its developer ecosystem beyond retail and institutional clients to machine-native users. The initiative highlights the convergence of blockchain settlement rails and automated intelligence, a theme gaining traction as digital asset platforms compete to define the next phase of financial infrastructure.