Coinbase‘s Ethereum layer-2 network Base has published its 2026 mission, vision, and strategy update, outlining plans to upgrade core systems in preparation for what it describes as an emerging AI agent economy. The network states that AI agents are discovering crypto markets as their native economy, building, owning, and trading alongside human participants. Base’s stated goal is to construct a foundation that supports this shift by developing global markets, scaling payments and stablecoins, and attracting more developers to the platform.
The roadmap identifies real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, stablecoins, and prediction markets as key growth areas heading into 2026. According to data from RWA.xyz, onchain RWA value has climbed 240% over the past twelve months, while stablecoin market capitalization has risen 32% over the same period. Base points to these figures as evidence of accelerating demand for the infrastructure it intends to build.
As part of the upgrade, Base plans to transform its app and blockchain into what it calls a purpose-built market infrastructure. This includes the introduction of new smart accounts, tokens, and scaling solutions designed to handle increased activity. The network also intends to bring a broad range of assets and markets onchain, encompassing equities, commodities with native issuance, perpetuals, and spot trading.
A significant portion of the planned upgrades is specifically oriented toward AI agents. Base says it will introduce agent-native smart accounts along with command line interface and model context protocol (MCP) access. The network also plans to integrate online payment protocols, including Coinbase’s own x402 standard, which it describes as a tool to help agents conduct financial transactions autonomously. According to data from x402scan, Coinbase is currently the top facilitator of x402 payments, recording 15,777 transactions in a single 24-hour period.
Base is not alone in pursuing this market. The Ethereum Foundation launched the dAI Team in September with the aim of making Ethereum the preferred settlement and coordination layer for AI agents and the broader machine economy. Solana has also previously positioned itself as the leading blockchain for agentic payment volume, indicating that competition among networks in this space is intensifying.
Beyond blockchain networks, traditional financial infrastructure companies are also entering the agentic AI payments space. Earlier this month, Tempo, backed by Visa and Stripe, unveiled agentic AI tools that give agents the ability to make online payments without human intervention. Separately, Tron DAO expanded its AI-focused fund to $1 billion last week, directing capital toward investments and acquisitions of early-stage startups building core infrastructure for the agentic economy.
The convergence of blockchain networks, payment companies, and venture capital around agentic AI infrastructure signals a broader industry effort to establish the financial rails that autonomous software agents may rely on. Base’s roadmap positions the network as a direct participant in that race, with concrete technical upgrades planned to support agent-driven commerce at scale.
Originally reported by CoinTelegraph.
