Alchemy introduces autonomous payment rails for AI agents on Base
28.02.2026
2790
Blockchain infrastructure company Alchemy has launched a system that allows autonomous AI agents to buy compute credits and access its blockchain data services using onchain wallets and USDC on Base.
Alchemy introduces autonomous payment rails for AI agents on Base
Blockchain infrastructure company Alchemy just dropped a game-changer: AI agents can now autonomously pay for blockchain data and compute credits using USDC on Base. No humans needed — these bots are getting their own wallets and going full crypto-native.
The system lets AI agents directly query blockchain networks, check NFT ownership, view multi-chain wallet balances, and access live token price data. More networks and services are coming soon. If an agent runs out of prepaid credits, Alchemy auto-sends a payment request settled in USDC on Base — keeping the bot running without manual intervention.
Agents can fund accounts with as little as $1 in USDC. Once credited, they keep making API calls until the balance hits zero, then trigger another automated payment. This uses Coinbase's x402 payment standard, which converts an HTTP '402 Payment Required' response into an automatic billing trigger. x402 is an open standard that lets web services request onchain payments directly through HTTP responses — enabling pure machine-to-machine transactions.
Now AI agents can access that same infrastructure autonomously, without a human ever touching it. This is the moment the agentic economy gets its own set of keys.
Nikil Viswanathan, CEO of Alchemy, told Cointelegraph this is built for developers creating autonomous DeFi agents, portfolio management bots, and other multi-step onchain workflows. Major apps like Robinhood Crypto, Uniswap, OpenSea, Aave, and 0x already rely on Alchemy — now AI agents get the same power.
Crypto companies and developers accelerate agent adoption
AI agents — software systems that make decisions and execute tasks autonomously based on goals and real-time data — are exploding. 23% of organizations surveyed by McKinsey in November said they're expanding agent-based systems.
- • On Feb. 6, AI.com (founded by Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek) announced plans to launch an autonomous AI agent for retail users capable of executing stock trades, automating workflows, and handling routine digital tasks.
- • Days later, Coinbase launched 'Agentic Wallets' — crypto wallet infrastructure designed to let AI agents autonomously spend, earn, and trade digital assets, including managing DeFi positions, rebalancing portfolios, and paying for services.
- • Monad's developer community just announced 16 winners from its Moltiverse Hackathon for 'agent + token' projects, including a programmable VC agent that evaluates and invests automatically, AI-driven multiplayer battle arenas, an AI dating network where agents 'represent their humans,' and trading card games governed by software instead of human players.
#Coinbase#DeFi#Autonomous Payments#Agentic AI#Artificial Intelligence
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