Coinbase Introduces Payments MCP for AI Agents
Coinbase has introduced a new system called Payments MCP, designed to help artificial intelligence agents interact directly with blockchain networks. The company aims to allow large language models such as Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini to access digital wallets and process onchain transactions with minimal user input.
According to Coinbase executives Dan Kim and Erik Reppel, Payments MCP enables AI systems to use the same onchain financial tools available to humans. The platform includes access to wallets, onramps, and stablecoin payments, all through natural language interactions. It was developed by the Coinbase Developer Platform as part of the company’s efforts to integrate crypto payments into the growing world of AI automation.
- •Coinbase’s new Payments MCP enables AI agents to use crypto wallets.
- •AI models like Claude can now interact with blockchain transactions.
- •Payments MCP empowers autonomous agents to execute seamless stablecoin payments.
Expanding the Vision of AI-Driven Payments
The launch follows the creation of the x402 Foundation, a joint initiative by Coinbase and Cloudflare that focuses on standardizing AI payment systems. Kim and Reppel explained that crypto rails, especially stablecoins, provide an ideal foundation for agent-to-agent transactions. They move instantly, integrate easily with APIs, and enable autonomous systems to act without human friction.
Moreover, Payments MCP introduces the Model Context Protocol (MCP) — not to be mistaken for MPC cryptography — which serves as a framework allowing AI models to connect to external services. This protocol bridges the gap between AI and decentralized finance, allowing LLMs to natively access blockchain-based payment solutions.
Additionally, the tool can run locally on desktop computers and be customized to meet different agent requirements. This flexibility means developers can tailor AI agents to perform specific payment tasks while maintaining local control over transactions.
Coinbase Positions Itself at the Center of Agentic Commerce
Coinbase’s new approach highlights a growing trend known as agentic commerce, where autonomous AI agents are able to handle transactions, manage digital assets, and pay for services on their own. Through Payments MCP, these agents can securely operate within blockchain environments while benefiting from stablecoin efficiency and transparency.
Consequently, this launch marks another step toward merging artificial intelligence with decentralized finance. It not only expands the functionality of large language models but also reinforces Coinbase’s role in shaping the financial infrastructure that will support AI-driven economies.
This development indicates that the intersection between AI and crypto is evolving rapidly, and Coinbase’s Payments MCP could be a defining element in how future digital agents interact with onchain ecosystems.