Circle CEO: AI agents need stablecoins
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire predicts AI agents will dramatically increase the velocity of money by conducting autonomous transactions. He argues this future requires stablecoin and blockchain infrastructure to work at scale. The vision is for agents to transact with each other instantly and programmatically, a task not well-suited for traditional payment rails.
Circle is building the developer infrastructure for this future with tools like Programmable Wallets, a wallet-as-a-service platform, and a Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) for moving USDC between chains like Ethereum, Avalanche, and Polygon. These APIs are designed to let developers embed wallets and Web3 capabilities into apps without needing deep blockchain expertise. The vision for AI-driven commerce is gaining commercial traction, most notably through Stripe's renewed partnership with Circle. Merchants using Stripe can now accept USDC payments on networks including Base, Solana, and Polygon, with funds settling instantly as fiat currency in their Stripe account. This infrastructure is designed to handle a high volume of machine-to-machine payments. For a CTO, the transition from leading engineering to shaping business strategy is critical. The shift is from measuring success in commits and system performance to how technology accelerates business goals, enables new products, and scales the organization. A leader who can articulate the business case for a technology like programmatic, stablecoin-based payments to a board becomes a strategic partner, not just a technical manager. This trend directly impacts the adtech landscape, which in 2026 is moving toward efficiency and privacy. As third-party cookies are phased out, the industry is standardizing around first-party data, contextual targeting, and the use of Data Clean Rooms. AI is already being used to optimize programmatic buying; agent-based systems could create a more autonomous and efficient media supply chain. The London tech scene continues to show strong momentum, with UK startups raising $4.26B in the first two months of 2026, an increase from the same period in 2025. A standout deal was London-based AI self-driving car company Wayve, which raised a massive £888M Series D round from investors including SoftBank, Microsoft, and NVIDIA. In Formula 1, debate continues around the 2026 engine regulations, with the FIA considering a compromise on the controversial power unit rules that had drawn criticism from teams. Meanwhile, ahead of the season opener, Pirelli cancelled a planned wet weather tyre test in Bahrain following regional missile strikes. This weekend in London, the 75th edition of Jewish Book Week kicks off at Kings Place, while the Pleasance Theatre hosts a 50-hour improvised comedy soap opera. For those looking ahead, the Serpentine North gallery is preparing to open a new David Hockney exhibition in the coming weeks.
