BlackRock paper envisions blockchains as value-settlement networks for AI agents and tokenized compute

BlackRock’s research paper argues that blockchains could evolve from primarily speculative rails into decentralized value-settlement networks tailored for AI agents, emphasizing machine-native financial settlement to support an autonomous agent economy ^[1].

In the paper’s described scenarios, BlackRock points to high-frequency, automated machine-to-machine micropayments where autonomous AI agents could settle in fiat-backed stablecoins with human intervention minimized or removed, citing examples including protocols and products such as x402, Stripe and Tempo’s MPP, and OpenAI’s ACP ^[1].

Crypto Briefing reports that BlackRock said tokenizing AI compute could reshape digital asset markets and potentially enable more autonomous economic activity, which the coverage frames as a forward-looking possibility ^[2].

Cointelegraph reports BlackRock stating that the AI-driven demand outlook for crypto remains underappreciated, including potential demand for stablecoins and programmable payment rails from AI agents, as well as an additional opportunity from tokenized computing capacity ^[3].

A separate report by Crypto Breaking News similarly attributes to BlackRock the view that AI could spur crypto demand, though it is presented as a low-authority source and does not add new, specifically detailed claims in the provided excerpt ^[4].