AI agents settled $73M in on-chain payments over past year, primarily via USDC

AI agents have settled over $73 million through 176 million on-chain transactions over the past year, with 98.6% of the payments made in USDC, according to a recent report from crypto market maker Keyrock. The report, which covers the period from May 2025 to April 2026, found that the average payment per transaction by these agents ranged from $0.31 to $0.48, indicating the emergence of a machine-centric micro-payment economy. Keyrock also noted that while low-cost stablecoins are becoming essential infrastructure for this machine economy, the reliance on the regulatory status and stability of stablecoin issuers is a concern. The report added that regulatory frameworks from national authorities also remain underdeveloped.