Brian Armstrong says AI makes crypto more important, not less
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong rejected calls for crypto firms to pivot to AI, arguing crypto will supply payment rails for AI agents.
By Theo Nakamura · Staff Writer
· 3 min read
Brian Armstrong said AI and crypto should be seen as linked technologies, pushing back on advice that crypto companies should shift their focus toward artificial intelligence. For retail investors watching capital move between hot themes, the Coinbase CEO’s point was direct: he sees crypto as infrastructure for AI, not a sector being replaced by it.
In a post on X, Armstrong described the idea that crypto firms should “pivot to AI” as “zero sum, scarcity thinking.” He wrote that crypto is a general-purpose technology, comparing it to electricity or the internet, and argued that it does not compete with the next major technology trend because it can support it.
Armstrong said the rise of AI makes crypto more relevant, not less. His argument centers on payments: if AI systems can act on behalf of users or businesses, they may need a way to send and receive money without waiting on traditional banking systems.
What did Brian Armstrong say about AI and crypto?
Armstrong said AI can provide the intelligence layer while crypto can provide the money layer. In his view, AI agents will need “real time programmable money” to transact, and blockchain-based systems are one way to handle those payments.
An AI agent is software that can perform tasks with some degree of autonomy, such as booking a service, paying for data, or interacting with another app. Programmable money means money that can move according to code-based rules, rather than through manual bank transfers or card payments.
Armstrong called the idea “Agentic Finance,” or “AiFi.” The label describes a future where AI agents can use crypto rails to make payments and settle transactions automatically.
Why crypto firms are talking about AI
Armstrong’s comments landed as more crypto-linked companies show interest in AI. Decrypt reported that some Bitcoin miners have been shifting attention toward AI infrastructure, while Bloomberg reported that digital asset treasury firms have been changing direction toward AI as the treasury model cools.
Digital asset treasury firms are companies whose strategy centers on holding crypto assets in their corporate treasury. The AI turn has also shown up among investors: CoinDesk reported that Singapore’s Temasek said crypto was off the table and that it would focus on AI.
The debate is partly about where growth capital goes. AI has become a priority for technology investors, while parts of the crypto sector are still working to prove durable business models beyond trading, mining and asset accumulation.
Armstrong’s answer is that the two fields can stack on top of each other. If AI agents become more common, his view is that they will need payment systems designed for software, and crypto networks could serve that role.
The comments also come months after Coinbase cut 14% of its staff as part of an effort to become “AI-native,” according to Decrypt. That makes Armstrong’s message narrower than a rejection of AI itself: he is arguing against abandoning crypto for AI, while Coinbase has been adopting AI inside its own business.
This story draws on original reporting from Decrypt.
