Binance CEO Richard Teng Says Crypto Will Power the AI Economy Calling It the Currency of Autonomous Agents
Chief Executive Officer of Binance, Richard Teng, has outlined a bold vision for the intersection of artificial intelligence and digital assets, stating that “crypto is the currency for AI” and predicting that autonomous AI agents will rely on cryptocurrencies and stablecoins to book hotels, purchase flights, and complete transactions independently.
The remarks, highlighted by the X account of Coin Bureau and independently reviewed by the HOKANEWS editorial team, underscore growing momentum around the convergence of blockchain infrastructure and agentic artificial intelligence systems.
Teng’s comments reflect a broader industry thesis that programmable digital currencies may become the native payment rail for machine driven economic activity.
Crypto as the Native Payment Layer for AI
Speaking about the future of agentic AI, Teng argued that autonomous systems will require a decentralized, programmable, and borderless form of money to transact seamlessly across digital ecosystems.
“Crypto is the currency for AI,” Teng said, suggesting that as AI agents become more capable of independent decision making, they will require built in financial tools to interact with services online.
Agentic AI refers to systems that can autonomously plan, execute, and adapt tasks without continuous human supervision. These systems may book travel arrangements, subscribe to software services, pay for digital infrastructure, and conduct micro transactions at scale.
Traditional banking systems, Teng suggested, may not be optimized for real time, machine to machine payments operating across jurisdictions.
Blockchain based assets, including stablecoins, offer programmable functionality that aligns with AI’s automated architecture.
Stablecoins and Autonomous Transactions
Stablecoins, which are digital tokens pegged to fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar, have become central to blockchain based payments.
Unlike volatile cryptocurrencies, stablecoins provide price stability, making them more suitable for transactional use.
Teng’s vision suggests that AI agents could utilize stablecoins to:
Book airline tickets in real time
Reserve hotel accommodations
Purchase cloud computing resources
Pay for subscription services
Execute micro payments across platforms
The programmability of smart contracts could enable conditional payments triggered automatically by AI decisions.
This dynamic would represent a shift from human initiated transactions to machine initiated commerce.
Why AI Needs Digital Currency Infrastructure
Artificial intelligence systems operate at speeds and scales beyond traditional human workflows.
If AI agents are to autonomously conduct transactions, they require frictionless financial rails capable of:
Instant settlement
Cross border operability
Programmable logic
Low transaction costs
Blockchain networks provide transparent, automated settlement layers without reliance on centralized intermediaries.
For AI systems interacting across multiple jurisdictions, cryptocurrency could bypass currency conversion constraints and banking delays.
Teng’s thesis positions crypto as the foundational layer enabling AI driven economic activity.
Convergence of Two Transformative Technologies
Artificial intelligence and blockchain technology represent two of the most transformative innovations of the past decade.
AI focuses on data analysis, pattern recognition, and automated decision making.
Blockchain offers decentralized verification, programmable money, and trust minimized transactions.
When combined, the technologies may enable entirely new economic models.
Examples of potential convergence include:
AI driven decentralized finance protocols
Automated investment strategies executed via smart contracts
Self managing digital marketplaces
Tokenized data exchanges for AI training
Teng’s statement reflects growing confidence that these technologies will increasingly intersect.
Institutional Interest in AI and Crypto
Institutional investors have intensified interest in both AI and digital assets.
Major technology firms are deploying AI at scale, while financial institutions continue integrating blockchain infrastructure.
If AI agents begin conducting financial transactions autonomously, regulatory frameworks may evolve to address identity verification, compliance, and accountability.
Crypto’s decentralized architecture may offer solutions for identity management through blockchain based credentials and decentralized identifiers.
The prospect of AI transacting in crypto raises questions about oversight, governance, and operational safeguards.
Challenges and Considerations
Despite the enthusiasm, several challenges remain before AI can widely adopt crypto for autonomous transactions.
These include:
Regulatory clarity for machine initiated payments
Security risks related to AI wallet management
Integration with existing financial systems
Volatility considerations for non stablecoin assets
While stablecoins mitigate price fluctuation risks, broader crypto markets remain volatile.
Additionally, safeguarding private keys and preventing malicious AI exploitation will require robust security frameworks.
Industry experts caution that technological convergence must proceed alongside careful policy development.
Broader Market Implications
Teng’s remarks contribute to a broader narrative positioning crypto as infrastructure rather than merely speculative assets.
If AI systems require decentralized financial rails, blockchain networks may see expanded utility beyond human initiated trading.
This could drive demand for:
Stablecoin issuance
Layer 2 scalability solutions
Smart contract auditing services
Cross chain interoperability protocols
Increased machine driven transaction volume may also influence network congestion and fee structures.
Developers are likely to accelerate scalability enhancements to accommodate future AI activity.
Market Reaction and Industry Dialogue
The statement circulated widely across social media and industry forums.
Some observers welcomed the vision as forward thinking, while others questioned the timeline for practical implementation.
AI driven commerce remains in early development stages, and widespread adoption may require years of experimentation and infrastructure upgrades.
Nevertheless, the concept of crypto serving as the “currency of AI” resonates with blockchain proponents who emphasize programmability and decentralization.
The HOKANEWS editorial team verified the authenticity of Teng’s remarks prior to publication.
The Future of Machine to Machine Economies
Economists and technologists have long discussed the emergence of machine to machine economies, where autonomous systems exchange value without direct human oversight.
In such environments, digital currencies may function as the settlement medium.
Blockchain networks provide transparency, immutability, and automated verification suitable for high frequency AI transactions.
If realized at scale, this model could redefine commerce, logistics, and service industries.
Teng’s prediction situates Binance and the broader crypto ecosystem within that anticipated evolution.
Conclusion
Binance CEO Richard Teng’s assertion that crypto will serve as the currency for AI highlights a growing belief that blockchain infrastructure may underpin autonomous machine driven commerce.
Highlighted by Coin Bureau and independently reviewed by HOKANEWS, the remarks underscore the accelerating convergence between artificial intelligence and digital assets.
While practical implementation faces technical and regulatory hurdles, the vision of AI agents booking flights, reserving hotels, and making purchases using crypto reflects an expanding horizon for decentralized finance.
As both AI and blockchain technologies mature, their intersection may shape the next phase of global digital transformation.
HOKANEWS will continue monitoring developments at the intersection of AI and cryptocurrency.