BlackRock Says AI Agents Could Drive Stablecoin Payments and Tokenized Compute

Highlights:

• BlackRock says AI agents could drive new stablecoin demand as they pay for data, software and computing power.
• AI agents could use stablecoins to make automated payments without relying on traditional banking and payment systems.
• BlackRock sees tokenized computing power becoming a new digital asset market as AI infrastructure demand grows.

BlackRock says artificial intelligence could become a major source of demand for stablecoins and other digital assets as AI agents begin making payments without constant human involvement. The asset manager believes blockchain networks could help these systems pay for data, software and computing power through automated transactions.

In its September 2026 white paper, “The Machine-Native Economy”, BlackRock examines how AI and digital assets could work together. The report identifies stablecoin payments and tokenized computing capacity as two areas where growing AI adoption could create new opportunities for blockchain technology.

🚨HUGE: $15 TRILLION BlackRock says AI COMPUTE could become a MASSIVE new demand engine for Digital Assets.

In a new research paper, BlackRock argues that the rapid growth of AI could create a new investable digital-asset market around compute, with hyperscaler cloud revenue… pic.twitter.com/6DeN0whXAK

— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) September 23, 2026

BlackRock Sees Stablecoins as a Payment Tool for AI Agents

AI agents are software systems that can complete tasks, make decisions and interact with other services with limited human input. As these systems become more capable, they may need to make payments on their own. For example, an AI travel assistant could compare flight prices, pay for access to booking data and complete reservations within a user’s approved budget.

BlackRock argues that traditional payment systems may struggle with some of these transactions. Bank transfers and card networks already support automation, but processing fees and settlement requirements can make frequent, low-value payments expensive. Stablecoins could offer another option. These digital tokens are designed to maintain a stable value, usually against the U.S. dollar, and can support automated payments through blockchain networks.

The report highlights Coinbase’s x402 protocol, which allows AI agents to pay for online services using digital currencies such as USDC. It also discusses the Agentic Commerce Protocol, developed by Stripe and OpenAI, which connects AI-driven purchases with existing merchant checkout systems.

According to BlackRock, stablecoins had more than $300 billion in circulating market capitalization as of September 2026. Their adjusted transaction volume exceeded $11 trillion in the last year. However, those figures cover the broader stablecoin market rather than payments made specifically by AI agents.

AI Computing Demand Could Create a New Market for Digital Assets

Beyond payments, BlackRock sees another opportunity in the computing power needed to run AI systems. The report cites analyst estimates suggesting that combined revenue from Amazon Web Services, Microsoft’s Intelligent Cloud and Google Cloud could reach approximately $1.1 trillion annually by 2030. That would represent annual growth of about 29% from 2025 levels.

As demand grows, computing capacity could become a tradable asset. BlackRock expects standardized contracts to allow businesses to buy, sell or secure future access to processing power. These contracts could also be tokenized on blockchain networks, allowing computing resources to be financed and settled through programmable systems.

AI agents could eventually compare available computing capacity, select providers based on price and performance, and pay for the resources they need. BlackRock points to x402 as one possible payment method for these transactions. However, the report acknowledges that the market remains at an early stage. Differences in chip performance, electricity costs and contract structures still need to be addressed before tokenized compute products can scale.

BlackRock also sees potential benefits for blockchain networks such as Ethereum. Greater stablecoin activity could increase demand for transaction processing and network services, although any benefit to native cryptocurrencies would depend on each network’s fee and settlement structure.