The infrastructure gap for AI agents is becoming clearer by the day. These autonomous systems need built-in payment capabilities to function at scale—especially for micro-transactions that would be impractical with traditional finance.

This requirement is driving serious interest from players with deep payment expertise. Those who've navigated the intersection of payments, digital currencies, and financial rails already understand the architecture needed here.

Meanwhile, ambitious payment initiatives are moving through regulatory frameworks more deliberately than many realize. The groundwork being laid quietly in boardrooms and courtrooms often matters more than the headlines. When infrastructure players combine technical capability with legal clarity, that's when real network effects start.

The convergence of AI agent economics and next-generation payment systems isn't just another narrative cycle—it's reshaping which platforms will own the settlement layer for Web3's most critical applications.