Coinbase for Agents: ChatGPT and Claude Can Now Trade Cryptocurrencies

In recent hours, Coinbase has launched Coinbase for Agents, a tool that allows AI agents to execute cryptocurrency trading operations and manage automatic payments without the need for a human user to intervene in each transaction. The announcement comes just days after similar developments from Robinhood, which had introduced similar features for agent-based trading.

The service is accessible to ChatGPT and Claude agents through an MCP server provided by Coinbase. Agents receive instructions in natural language and execute orders on spot and derivatives markets in cryptocurrencies, with support for stocks and predictive markets expected in a later phase. For machine-to-machine payments, the integration uses the x402 protocol, created in May 2025 by Coinbase along with AWS, Anthropic, Circle, and Near: it enables direct transactions between machines without logins or subscriptions, using USDC as the settlement currency. In the thirty days leading up to the launch, approximately 157,000 agents had already used the protocol.

Granular Controls and Revenue Model

A central point of the launch concerns control mechanisms. Users can set custom thresholds on individual trade sizes, types of accessible services, and overall spending capacity. Regarding isolation, the agent can operate in a separate account, functioning as a sandbox, or be integrated directly into the main account for those who prefer unified portfolio management. Transactions pass through Base, the Layer 2 blockchain developed internally by Coinbase, which serves as the underlying infrastructure.

On the economic front, the revenue model is twofold: trading fees on transactions executed by the agent and a percentage of the spreads on movements in USDC, as reported by CNBC based on official statements from the group.

The Emergence of Agent Economy

The launch fits into a broader move towards the financial autonomy of agents. Google has taken a parallel path, as we had previously reported in our deep dive on the Agent Payments Protocol from Google for AI agents. The convergence of artificial intelligence and digital assets brings with it governance and taxation issues that remain open, as we previously covered in a deep dive on AI, Bitcoin, and taxation proposals.

Lincoln Murr, Head of AI Product at Coinbase, summarizes the group's vision: "In the 2010s, every internet company had to face the transition from desktop and web to the mobile environment. By the end of the 2020s, we are witnessing exactly the same thing: agents will become the new major economic players on the internet."