The AI Cryptocurrency That Could Benefit From the Artificial Intelligence Boom

For years, cryptocurrency supporters have argued that it was the future of money. Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), that future is becoming a reality. OpenClaw, an open-source AI assistant program, helped put AI agents on the map when it went viral earlier this year.

AI agents can browse the web, use programs, and make purchases -- all autonomously. Many AI agents have begun transacting on Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), a blockchain known for its lightning-fast transaction speeds and low fees.

Here is how AI agents could make Solana a must-have cryptocurrency for the future.

Image source: Getty Images.

Solana is an early winner in agentic AI payments

Vibhu Norby is an executive responsible for product strategy and AI adoption at the Solana Foundation. Recently, he estimated that Solana accounts for at least 65% of all agentic on-chain payments made through x402, a popular Coinbase-developed protocol that allows AI agents to make payments autonomously.

AI agents accounted for $31 billion in payment volume on Solana in 2025. Remember, each transaction on Solana burns a small amount of tokens. A more active Solana network burns more tokens, putting a metaphorical thumb on the scales of the supply and-demand equation that influences token prices.

The ceiling could be very high

AI agents don't need to sleep or take breaks. If people can set up AI agents on localized AI models (no paid subscription) and run them around the clock, there's no telling how many AI agents there might be 10 years from now. In March, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong posted on X:

"Very soon there are going to be more AI agents than humans making transactions. They can't open a bank account, but they can own a crypto wallet. Think about it."

Research from Edgar, Dunn & Company projects that the total agentic commerce market, consumer-to-business transactions initiated by AI agents, will grow from an estimated $136 billion last year to $1.7 trillion by 2030. Major payment companies like Visa and Mastercard will fight for market share. Still, it's notable that Solana has captured such a large share of payment volume so quickly.

How should investors approach Solana today?

The broader stock market has been increasingly shaky in recent weeks, and Solana is down a whopping 61% over the past six months. As exciting as Solana's long-term potential may be, cryptocurrencies remain very speculative investments and are prone to gut-wrenching volatility.

It would be wise to treat Solana like any other investment: including it as a small piece of a diversified portfolio. Buying a little Solana at a time would help protect investors from too much exposure at a bad price. The agentic payments story will likely still take years to play out, so plan on Solana as a buy-and-hold investment rather than a lottery ticket.

Justin Pope has positions in Mastercard. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Mastercard, Solana, and Visa. The Motley Fool recommends Coinbase Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.