AI agents, software systems that use AI to pursue goals and complete tasks on behalf of users are spreading. Think of them as digital assistants who can make decisions and take actions towards goals you set without needing step-by-step instructions-from GPT-driven calendar leaders to trade in bots, the number of use cases is expanding rapidly. As their role expands over the economy, we need to build the right infrastructure that allows these agents to communicate, collaborate and trade with each other in an open marketplace.
Big Tech players like Google and AWS build early marketplaces and trade protocols, but it raises the question: Will they aim to extract massive rents through Walled Gardens once again? Agers’ capabilities are clearly rising, almost daily, with the arrival of new models and architectures. What is in danger is whether these agents will really be autonomous.
Autonomous agents are valuable because they unlock a new user experience: a shift from software as passive or reactive tools to active and even proactive partners. Instead of waiting for instructions, they can anticipate needs, adapt to changing conditions and coordinate with other real -time systems without the user’s constant input or presence. This autonomy in decision making makes them uniquely suitable for a world where speed and complexity surpass human decision making.
Of course, some worry about what greater decision making autonomy means for work and responsibility-but I see it as an opportunity. When agents handle repeated, time-intensive tasks, and parallelize what had to be performed in order before, they expand our production ability as human-to free people to participate in work that requires creativity, rating, composition and meaningful connection. This is not make-faith, humanity has been there before: The arrival of companies enabled entrepreneurs to create brand new products and levels of wealth previously thought. AI agents have the potential to bring this capacity to everyone.
On the intelligence side, really requires autonomous decision-making AI-agent infrastructure that is open source and transparent. Openai’s recent OSS release is a good step. Chinese laboratories, such as Deepseek (Deepseek), Moonshot AI (Kimi K2) and Alibaba (Qwen 3), have moved even faster.
However, autonomy is not purely tied to intelligence and decision making. Without resources, an AI agent has little funding to adopt changes in the real world. Therefore, for agents to be really autonomous, they need to have access to resources and self -defense their assets. Programmable, permissionless and composed blockchains are the ideal substrate for agents to do so.
Picture two scenarios. One where AI agents work within a web 2 platform like AWS or Google. They are found within the limited parameters set by these platforms in what is essentially a closed and allowed environment. Now imagine a decentralized marketplace that spans many blockchain ecosystems. Developers can compose different sets of environments and parameters, therefore the extent available to AI agents to serve, unlimited, available globally and can develop over time. One scenario looks like a toy idea about a marketplace and the other is an actual global economy.
In other words, to really scale not only AI agent, but agent-to-agent trading, we need rails that only blockchains can offer.
The limits of centralized marketplaces
AWS recently announced an agent-to-agent marketplace aimed at meeting the growing demand for finished agents. But their approach inherits the same inefficiencies and limitations that have long plagued muted systems. Agents must wait for human verification, rely on closed APIs and operate in environments where transparency is optional if it exists at all.
In order to act autonomously and on a scale, agents cannot be boxed in closed ecosystems that limit the functionality, pose platform risks, impose opaque fees or make it impossible to verify what actions were taken and why.
Decentralization scales Agent Systems
An open ecosystem allows agents to act on behalf of users, coordinate with other agents and operate across services without permitted barriers.
Blockchains already offer the necessary key tools. Smart contracts allow agents to perform tasks automatically with rules embedded in code, while stablecoins and tokens enable immediate, global value transfers without payment friction. Smart accounts that are programmable blockchain -cartoon books that secure allow users to limit agents in their activity and scope (via guards). For example, an agent can only be allowed to use whiteled protocols. These tools allow AI agents not only to behave expansively, but also contained in risk parameters defined by the end user. For example, this may be to set consumer boundaries, require multi-signatures for approvals or limiting agents to white-listed protocols.
Blockchain also provides the necessary transparency so that users can audit agent decisions even when they are not directly involved. At the same time, this does not mean that all interactions for agent agent must be done onchain. F.
In short, decentralized infrastructure gives agents the tools to function more freely and efficiently than closed systems allow.
It already happens onchain
While centralized players are still refining their agent strategies, blockchain is already enabling early forms of agent-to-agent interaction. Onchain agents are already exhibiting more advanced behavior such as buying predictions and data from other agents. And when more open frames arise, developers build construction products that can access services, make payments and even subscribe to other agents – all without human commitment.
Protocols are already implementing the next step: Revenue generation. With open marketplaces, people and businesses are able to rent agents, earn from specialized and build new services that connect directly in this agent economy. Customizing payment models such as subscription, one -time payments or total packages will also be the key to facilitating different user needs. This will unlock a whole new model for financial participation.
Why this distinction matters
Without open systems, fragmentation breaks the trouble -free AI support. An agent can easily bring tasks to completion if it remains within an individual ecosystem, such as coordinating between different Google apps. However, where third-party platforms are needed (across social, traveling, financing, etc.), however, an open in-chain market will allow agents to program to acquire the various services and goods they need to fill a user’s request.
Decentralized systems avoid these limitations. Users can own, change and insert agents tailored to their needs without relying on supplier -controlled environments.
We’ve already seen this work in Defi with Defi Legos. Bots automate lending strategies, manage positions and rebalance portfolios, sometimes better than any human being. Now the same approach is used as “Agent Legos” across sectors, including logistics, games, customer support and more.
The path forward
The agent economy is growing rapidly. What we are building now will shape how it works and as it works. If we only rely on centralized systems, we risk creating another generation of AI tools that feel useful but ultimately serve the platform, not the person.
Blockchain changes it. It enables systems where agents shop on your behalf, earn from your ideas and connect a wider, open marketplace.
If we want agents who cooperate, act and develop without limitation, the future of marketplaces for agent-to-agent must live onchain.
