Stablecoins were designed to bridge the gap between crypto and fiat, offering price stability in an otherwise volatile market. Over the past decade, they’ve become essential tools for traders, remittance users, and crypto-native communities. But the next chapter of their evolution isn’t about us. It’s about machines.
As autonomous agents and AI systems begin transacting on-chain, performing tasks, settling bills, and managing smart contracts, the limitations of today’s stablecoins are becoming more apparent. If we continue designing stablecoins exclusively for human use, we risk locking the future of programmable finance into outdated constraints.
Today’s stablecoins weren’t built for autonomy
Most stablecoins in circulation today, such as USDC and USDT, are fiat-backed and centrally issued. While this has helped with mainstream adoption, it also anchors them to legacy systems—custodial reserves, regulatory chokepoints, and centralized freeze controls.
These constraints may suit traditional finance, but they’re misaligned with the emerging reality of machine-to-machine (M2M) commerce. AI agents don’t have bank accounts. They don’t sleep. They operate in global, decentralized environments that require 24/7 access to liquid, programmable money. And they need it without relying on any human in the loop.
Even some of the newer algorithmic stablecoins have stumbled. When stability mechanisms …