AI potential to drive crypto demand remains ‘underappreciated’: BlackRock
BlackRock says widespread AI adoption could become a major driver of digital asset demand. In its “Machine-Native Economy” paper, it argues that AI agents and machine-to-machine commerce will need programmable payment rails for frequent, low-value, 24/7 transactions. Stablecoins, native cryptocurrencies, and tokenized assets are seen as well suited to this use case, with stablecoins likely leading payments. BlackRock also sees an opportunity for crypto in the compute market. As AI demand for processing power grows, claims on compute capacity could be tokenized, traded, and used as collateral, potentially creating a new institutional market. The firm frames AI as a structural catalyst for digital asset adoption and digital assets as infrastructure for an increasingly autonomous economy. The thesis aligns with long-held crypto industry views that AI will increase demand for programmable money and crypto-based financial services.
