TLDR
- At NEARCON 2026, Bitwise’s Hunter Horsley described AI as an “unstoppable freight train” poised to accelerate cryptocurrency adoption globally
- Horsley contends that stablecoins and blockchain systems offer the ideal payment infrastructure for autonomous AI agents
- Diogo Monica from Haun Ventures countered that sufficiently advanced AI could easily navigate traditional payment platforms
- Despite disagreements, both executives recognized AI and crypto as synergistic forces — one generating digital abundance, the other ensuring digital scarcity
- In late February 2026, Bitcoin and Ethereum registered positive momentum while the Fear & Greed Index remained at extreme fear levels (11)
During a panel discussion at NEARCON 2026 in San Francisco, two influential voices in cryptocurrency debated whether artificial intelligence will genuinely require blockchain technology to reach its full potential.
Hunter Horsley, CEO of Bitwise, presented a compelling argument that AI’s developmental velocity surpasses anything previously witnessed in the crypto space. He noted that AI is “accomplishing a quarter’s worth of roadmap every two weeks,” suggesting that traditional frameworks for understanding crypto adoption have become obsolete.
Horsley’s thesis centers on the proposition that public blockchain networks are uniquely positioned to capitalize on artificial intelligence advancement. His reasoning focuses specifically on autonomous AI agents — intelligent software designed to execute tasks and facilitate transactions on users’ behalf.
According to Horsley, consumers will be reluctant to grant AI agents direct access to their credit cards. He suggested that funding these agents with stablecoins would enable private, permissionless transactions without requiring conventional financial gatekeepers.
Diogo Monica, general partner at Haun Ventures and co-founder of Anchorage Digital, offered a contrasting perspective. He questioned the fundamental assumption that AI agents require novel payment infrastructure.
“There is a chance that agent payments commerce looks exactly like current payment commerce for the foreseeable future,” Monica stated during the panel. His logic was straightforward: if artificial intelligence achieves superintelligence, mastering credit card systems shouldn’t pose a challenge.
“You can’t tell me that AGI is coming and agents are going to be super smart and tell me they’re not going to be smart enough to figure out different systems,” Monica elaborated.
Where Both Sides Agree
Despite their divergent views on payment infrastructure, Monica acknowledged meaningful connections between these emerging technologies. He characterized AI as creating digital abundance while crypto establishes digital scarcity, describing them as “complementary technologies.”
Monica further observed that cryptocurrency’s privacy features and verification mechanisms could help mitigate certain risks associated with artificial intelligence. This fundamental compatibility may prove more significant than the payment infrastructure debate.
The panel concluded without resolving whether blockchain systems will emerge as the preferred infrastructure for AI-powered commerce. The question remains unanswered.
Crypto Market in Late February 2026
Concurrent with the panel discussion, cryptocurrency markets demonstrated upward momentum despite persistently low investor sentiment. Bitcoin appreciated 2.74% to reach $65,961, while Ethereum advanced 4.01% to $1,917.63, based on CoinGecko data.
Solana increased 5.27% to $81.91, and Monero jumped 7.30% to $330.56. The aggregate cryptocurrency market capitalization reached $2.34 trillion with $112.69 billion in 24-hour trading volume.
The Fear & Greed Index registered 11 during this period, indicating extreme fear among market participants despite upward price action.
Bitcoin maintained 56.31% market dominance, with Ethereum commanding 9.87%.
