Artificial intelligence is moving beyond answering questions and starting to complete real-world tasks on its own. As that change gathers pace, another technology could benefit in ways many people do not expect. Global asset manager Franklin Templeton believes cryptocurrencies may play a much bigger role in the AI economy than many investors currently realise.
Why AI may need blockchain
Franklin Templeton argues that agentic AI could become blockchain’s long-awaited “killer use case.” In a paper, Franklin Templeton’s Head of Digital Assets and Innovation, Sandy Kaul, says these AI systems do much more than chat with users. Once given permission, they can shop online, book travel and pay for digital services without asking for approval every step of the way.
How would those payments actually work? According to Franklin Templeton, today’s banking and card networks were designed for people, not software making countless small transactions every hour. By comparison, blockchain networks record and settle payments directly without relying on intermediaries.
While Bitcoin processes around seven transactions per second and Ethereum about 75, newer networks such as Aptos, Solana and BNB Chain can handle thousands. Traditional card payments, meanwhile, often take one to three business days to settle.
Crypto’s next opportunity
Several recent developments support that view. Coinbase has introduced tools that allow AI agents to trade and make payments on their own. Google also unveiled an Ethereum-backed payment protocol for AI agents in 2025. More recently, the x402 Foundation, backed by Visa, Mastercard and AWS, launched open payment rails designed for AI-powered transactions.
What could that mean for crypto? Franklin Templeton believes that if AI agents begin paying with blockchain-based tokens, demand for cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum and Solana could grow alongside adoption. McKinsey estimates that agentic commerce could reach between $3 trillion and $5 trillion a year by 2030, suggesting the opportunity could extend well beyond AI software alone.
