BlackRock releases a white paper on the “Machine-Native Economy,” highlighting the structural intersection between AI agents (Agentic AI) and the crypto economy: AI is machine-native intelligence, and digital assets are machine-native money. (Background: Cardano joins the x402 ecosystem! AI Agents will be able to pay automatically using ADA.) (Additional context: A mysterious buyer reportedly swept up 50 tons of obscure used Japanese books—industry insiders suspect AI is collecting them.) BlackRock (9月23日) published a research white paper titled (The Machine‑Native Economy), presenting a narrative the market is severely underestimating: large-scale deployment of AI agents will create new structural demand for digital assets. The report’s core argument is straightforward: AI represents machine-native intelligence, while digital assets represent machine-native currency. This is more than just conceptual packaging. In the report, BlackRock specifically points out that LLMs (large language models) and blockchain share the same underlying “tokenization” architecture in principle: large models convert human language into tokens that machines can process, while blockchain converts economic entitlements into tokens on-chain, enabling machine-verifiable proof of rights and settlement. Once combined, AI agents can upgrade from “content generation tools” to “economic participants capable of executing transactions autonomously.” Three integration tracks BlackRock outlines three concrete integration directions in the report: First, LLMs and blockchain share a tokenized foundation This is the most fundamental technical alignment. AI uses tokens to understand the world; blockchain uses tokens to trade the world. When the same “computable unit of value” runs through both the understanding layer and the execution layer, AI agents can complete real-world transactions such as procurement and financial settlement without needing human intervention. Second, the payment rails between machines: stablecoins are the most suitable settlement tool Traditional payment networks (ACH, bank cards) have structural weaknesses in AI agent high-frequency trading scenarios: high account opening barriers, fees that are not cost-effective, and limited settlement speed. The report specifically mentions new-generation agent payment protocols such as x402, ACP, and MPP. Combined with stablecoins, they can enable 7×24 machine-to-machine transactions with no human intervention. In terms of data, after adjustments in 2025, the stablecoin transaction volume has surpassed $11 trillion, reaching the same order of magnitude as Visa and Mastercard. From 2020 to 2025, the compound annual growth rate was 80%, far higher than ACH networks’ 8.5%. As stablecoin regulatory frameworks gradually take shape worldwide, stablecoins will handle the large volume of micro-payment scenarios generated by AI agents. Third, compute power itself becomes a new digital-asset market The report states that AI’s demand for compute power is driving the formation of a new type of asset market. The report predicts that by 2030, the combined revenue of leading cloud providers could reach $1.1 trillion. This means that compute power is not only fuel for AI—it may also become an on-chain asset that is standardized, tradeable, and financeable. Why does this matter? The significance of this white paper is not that it “first proposes AI × crypto.” What’s truly worth attention is that one of the world’s largest asset management institutions is starting to view AI agents as a “structural variable” in digital-asset demand—not a peripheral narrative. This strongly echoes recent industry developments. On September 22, the x402 payment protocol created by Coinbase was formally added to the Cardano toolkit, enabling AI agents to automatically complete payments using ADA (as reported by 動區). This indicates that “machine-native payments” are moving from concept to implementation. Taiwanese readers can understand the report from two angles: 1. **Stablecoins and payment infrastructure**: If AI agents truly require 7×24 micro-payment capabilities, demand for stablecoins and related payment infrastructure (such as x402) will grow long-term. Taiwan’s experience in building digital payment infrastructure could become an opportunity to enter this track. 2. **Compute power and AI hardware**: In the report’s forecast of $1.1 trillion in cloud revenue, Taiwan’s semiconductor supply chain (TSMC, Nvidia partners) plays a key role. AI’s reliance on compute power makes semiconductors and AI infrastructure a bridge connecting traditional industries and the crypto economy. This white paper is not investment advice, but it offers a framework: when AI agents become economic participants, the value of digital assets comes not only from “holders’ demand,” but also from “users’ demand.” That could be incremental value not yet fully priced by the market. Related reports Cardano joins the x402 ecosystem! AI Agents will be able to pay automatically with ADA “BlackRock (Machine-Native Economy) white paper: AI agents will create structural demand for digital assets.” This article was originally published on 動區BlockTempo (動區動趨- the most influential blockchain news media).