Alchemy launches autonomous AI payment system on Base as blockchain company lets agents buy compute credits with USDC in the crypto market

Blockchain infrastructure firm Alchemy has just rolled out something that feels like a glimpse into the next phase of crypto — a system that lets autonomous AI agents pay for blockchain data services on their own.

No human clicking “confirm.” No finance team processing invoices.

Instead, AI agents can now use onchain wallets and USDC on Base to buy compute credits and keep working independently.

It’s a small technical shift with potentially big implications: machines paying machines to access blockchain infrastructure.

How the System Actually Works

Here’s the simple version.

An AI agent loads up an account with as little as $1 in USD Coin on Base. That balance funds compute credits.

As long as there’s money left, the agent can keep calling Alchemy’s APIs to pull blockchain data.

When the balance runs dry, the system sends a payment request.

Instead of waiting for a human, the agent can automatically settle the bill in USDC and continue operating without interruption.

Behind the scenes, this uses Coinbase’s x402 payment standard.

It transforms an HTTP “402 Payment Required” response into a trigger for an onchain payment.

In other words, a web server can now natively request blockchain payments — and machines can respond instantly.

That’s machine-to-machine commerce, no paperwork involved.

What AI Agents Can Do With It

With this first release, AI agents can directly query blockchain networks, check NFT ownership, review wallet balances across multiple chains, and pull live token price data.

It’s infrastructure-level access — the same backbone used by major crypto platforms.

According to Alchemy CEO Nikil Viswanathan, companies like Robinhood Crypto, Uniswap, OpenSea, Aave and 0x already rely on Alchemy’s systems.

Now, AI agents can tap into that same infrastructure autonomously.

Viswanathan framed it as a milestone for what some are calling the “agentic economy” — where software systems operate independently, making decisions and executing financial actions without human oversight.

The Bigger AI and Crypto Convergence

AI agents — programs capable of pursuing defined goals while reacting to real-time data — have been gaining traction rapidly.

A November survey by McKinsey & Company found that 23% of organizations were expanding their use of agent-based systems.

The crypto world has moved quickly to support this shift.

Earlier this month, Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek announced that AI.com plans to launch an autonomous AI agent capable of executing stock trades and managing digital tasks for retail users.

Meanwhile, Coinbase unveiled “Agentic Wallets,” designed to allow AI agents to spend, earn and trade crypto assets independently — including managing DeFi positions and rebalancing portfolios.

Even experimental ecosystems are leaning in.

The developer community behind Monad recently wrapped its Moltiverse Hackathon, awarding 16 projects that combine AI agents with tokenized systems.

The concepts ranged from automated venture capital agents to AI-driven gaming environments and even agent-run dating platforms.

It’s no longer theoretical. The tooling is being built.

Impact and Consequences

If AI agents can pay for infrastructure, execute trades and manage assets autonomously, the economic implications are significant.

On one hand, it reduces friction. Developers building DeFi bots or portfolio managers no longer need manual billing workflows.

Autonomous agents can continuously operate, scaling up or down based on available funds.

On the other hand, it raises oversight and security questions.

If agents can access funds and make payments automatically, governance models and safeguards become critical.

Bugs or malicious code could theoretically drain wallets without human intervention.

There’s also a regulatory angle. As machine-driven financial activity expands, regulators may eventually need to define accountability standards.

If an AI agent executes a flawed transaction, who bears responsibility?

Still, for builders, this is a leap forward.

It makes truly autonomous financial software possible — not just in theory, but in infrastructure.

What’s Next?

Alchemy says additional networks and services are planned.

That likely means broader multi-chain compatibility and deeper tooling for complex workflows.

Expect further integration between AI wallet infrastructure and blockchain data providers.

As Coinbase, AI.com, and other platforms expand their agent-focused products, interoperability will become the next frontier.

We may also see agent marketplaces emerge — environments where autonomous bots compete, collaborate or transact directly with each other.

If this system works as intended, it won’t just support agents.

It could normalize the idea that software entities have economic agency of their own.

Summary

Alchemy has launched a system that allows AI agents to purchase compute credits and access blockchain data services using USDC on Base.

By leveraging Coinbase’s x402 payment standard, agents can automatically settle payment requests without human involvement.

The move aligns with a broader industry shift toward autonomous AI systems capable of executing DeFi strategies, managing portfolios and conducting machine-to-machine transactions.

As AI and crypto continue to converge, infrastructure like this could form the backbone of an emerging agent-driven digital economy.

Bulleted Takeaways

• Alchemy now enables AI agents to buy compute credits using USDC on Base.

• Agents can query blockchain networks, check NFT ownership and access real-time token data.

• The system uses Coinbase’s x402 standard to convert HTTP 402 responses into automated onchain payments.

• Major crypto platforms already rely on Alchemy’s infrastructure, which agents can now access autonomously.

• AI agents are gaining traction across finance, gaming and decentralized applications.

• The shift introduces new governance and security considerations as machines gain financial autonomy.

• Further network expansions and agent-focused tools are expected in upcoming releases.