Animoca Brands cofounder argues Asia will merge AI and blockchain faster than the West, as payment giants begin enabling AI agents to transact in cryptocurrencies.

What happened

Yat Siu, cofounder of blockchain gaming firm Animoca Brands, told Fortune that Asia lacks the ideological divide between AI and cryptocurrency seen in Europe and the U.S., positioning the region to lead in combining these technologies. Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, and Coinbase are already starting to allow AI agents to conduct transactions using stablecoins and cryptocurrencies.

Why it matters

Siu argues that blockchain is essential infrastructure for autonomous AI agents to transact safely and at scale on behalf of users. Currently, just $7 billion（約1.1兆円） of annual settlements on Visa's platform are made in cryptocurrencies, compared to $14 trillion（約2200兆円） overall—suggesting a potential shift in how payments flow. If blockchain-based payments cut out traditional middlemen and their transaction fees, credit card companies and banks may face pressure to adapt.

What to watch

Siu believes as many as 200 billion AI agents could soon be in operation and will conduct commerce with each other. He estimates that blockchain transactions could offer a cost advantage over credit cards, which charge a 2.5% fee, in a landscape where agents "go for what's better, faster and cheaper."