Franklin Templeton calls agentic AI next ‘killer’ use case for blockchainFranklin Templeton’s digital assets lead said that the autonomous AI agent economy will increase demand for blockchain protocols hosting machine-to-machine micropayments.

Franklin Templeton’s head of digital assets and innovation, Sandy Kaul, has identified autonomous AI agents as the next major use case for blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. Kaul explained that the growing AI agent economy will drive demand for blockchain protocols capable of facilitating machine-to-machine micropayments. He noted that traditional payment networks like Visa are ill-suited for such agentic payments because of their higher fees and slower settlement times.

Kaul pointed out that blockchains like Aptos, Solana, and BNB Chain are better positioned to support the agentic economy since they can settle transactions within seconds, compared to the one-to-three business days typically required by Visa. This speed and efficiency are critical for AI agents that need to make frequent, small micropayments as part of their operations.

Supporting this view, a joint report by Visa and Artemis highlighted the limitations of traditional card networks in addressing the needs of AI agents, which require near-zero fees and rapid settlement to ensure the viability of agentic micropayments. Visa’s crypto division and Stripe-backed company Tempo have also launched AI tools aimed at enabling AI agents to make prompt payments, including same-day transactions.

Real-world adoption of machine payment protocols appears to be growing. For example, the x402 payment protocol developed by Coinbase reportedly processed $15 million in adjusted volume over more than 109 million adjusted transactions since its launch in May 2025, according to the Visa and Artemis report. This suggests that blockchain-based micropayment systems are beginning to support the emerging demands of the AI economy.