Tether CEO: AI Agents Will Outpace Banks, Use Crypto for Payments

- Tether CEO predicts surge in AI agents using crypto for transactions. - Ardoino highlights limits of traditional finance in adapting to AI speed and scale. On June 30, Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, told The Block that he expects nearly 1 trillion AI agents to be using stablecoins like USDT and Bitcoin for digital payments within the next 15 years. He emphasized that advancements in AI could significantly broaden crypto adoption and overcome the limitations of conventional financial systems. Ardoino explained that AI agents may soon own digital wallets to engage in economic activities similar to humans. He identified Tether (USDT) and Bitcoin (BTC) as the primary mediums of exchange, noting that USDT is already widely used as a reliable payment method due to its technological robustness and transactional trust. He also predicted that legacy institutions like JPMorgan may struggle to accommodate AI agents as clients, citing centralized structures and regulatory complexity. In contrast, crypto offers a decentralized and adaptable alternative. As AI-driven economies grow, Ardoino believes crypto will emerge as the seamless payment layer connecting humans and AI. As of 02:48 UTC on June 30, 2025, Tether is trading at $1.00 with a 24-hour volume change of 39.878%, while Bitcoin (BTC) is priced at $108,622.138, showing a 1.194% change in the same period.