Will AI Agents Lead the Next Big Crypto Bull Run?

Artificial intelligence has been one of the most fascinating technological developments of the past decade, and it will likely be one of the most transformative alongside blockchain technology. In recent months, a growing intersection between the worlds of AI and crypto has given rise to unique projects known as AI agents, which exhibit a plethora of potential new possibilities.

True to their namesake, AI agents do not rely on human intervention for operation. They are fully autonomous software that are capable of their own planning and decision-making processes in order to achieve a certain objective. What separates AI agents from algorithmic bots of the past is their ability to self-learn and continuously iterate on output. This means they can adapt to changing conditions such as a volatile market or real-time news cycles. The top AI agent protocols are already among the highest performing crypto projects of Q4 2024, but the sector’s full growth potential has yet to be unleashed. As more AI researchers begin to consider cryptocurrency as the native transaction medium for their machine-learning models, momentum for decentralized AI agents may soar faster than ever.

The Rise of AI Agent Protocols

The original and perhaps still the most well-known project in this field is $GOAT, which arose from the Terminal of Truth artificial intelligence agent. This AI was trained on contemporary internet chat logs and has its own X account to share thoughts. After an anonymous user launched the $GOAT memecoin through pump.fun following the Goatse religion preached by the Terminal of Truth, the AI began to publicly endorse the token. The rest, as they say, is history. The $GOAT token eventually reached a peak of over $1 billion in market cap in mid-November 2024, only one month after launch.

Following the launch of Truth Terminal and subsequent surge in the value of $GOAT, interest in the AI agent narrative has skyrocketed. Other AI driven memecoins have been created, such as $ZEREBRO and $TURBO, that have also risen to prominence. This wave of innovation suggests that memecoins adopted by AI LLM models have found a product-market fit amongst crypto traders.

Another leading AI agent project is Virtuals Protocol. It’s a platform that allows ordinary users to create, deploy, and monetize AI agents. The core concept revolves around users using the platform’s native token $VIRTUAL to launch AI agents which each come with their own dedicated agent token. Such agents can interact with users and generate revenue. The revenue is then distributed to token holders through a buyback-and-burn mechanism, effectively increasing the token's value while rewarding token holders.

Virtuals is host to a wide variety of agents, though several of the top ones focus on gaming and entertainment. One popular AI agent is Luna, a virtual AI influencer presented as a digital female idol. Luna stays engaged with her audience through constant live streaming and singing performances, blending elements of entertainment and AI-driven interaction to maintain a strong fan following. AIXBT is another rising star agent launched through Virtuals, and it specializes in providing crypto market intelligence by automating the tracking of market trends and data analysis. By monitoring over 400 crypto influencers, AIXBT can identify emerging blockchain narratives in real time while also conducting technical analysis on various cryptocurrencies.

Where to Find and Invest in AI Agent Projects

For traders interested in gaining exposure to the burgeoning AI agent narrative, crypto exchange MEXC is undoubtedly your best bet. The platform is founded on the principle of being everyone’s easiest way into cryptocurrencies, and it’s pursued multiple initiatives to simplify the onboarding process for all users. For instance, what sets MEXC apart from other exchanges is its wide variety of listed assets with over 3,000 trading pairs covering basically every niche in the crypto industry.

MEXC was one of the earliest exchanges to catch onto the AI agent trend and began listing tokens in this sector early on so that its users could experience the early gains. For example, $GOAT was listed on MEXC back on October 13th when it was less than $150 million market cap and the token shot up by over 10x only a month later. Similarly, $VIRTUAL perpetuals were listed on November 1st and would later skyrocket from $300 million to over $1.5 billion market capitalization. What MEXC does better than other exchanges is its proactiveness in identifying trending narratives and listing high potential tokens on a comprehensive basis, and that’s evidenced by the presence of even the lesser known AI agent tokens. Examples include $AIXBT, $ZEREBRO, and $AI16ZELIZA, all of which are available on MEXC and represent some of the most promising new projects in the AI crypto space. Indeed, MEXC’s spot marketplace already features an “AI Agent” category containing over 12 trading pairs.

In addition to the diverse array of asset listings, MEXC facilitates easy trading through its competitive fee structure. With only 0.050% maker and 0.050% taker spot transaction fees and 0.000% maker and 0.020% taker futures fees, MEXC is one of the cheapest places on the internet for crypto investments. Traders also have no worries about liquidity, as MEXC features immense trading depth surpassing $100 million at both 0.05% and 0.1% order book depth.

Virtual Crypto Influencers? Advantages of AI Agents on the Blockchain

At their core, AI agents can function on the front-end as a standalone virtual entity that can execute tasks with mechanical precision and constant iteration. Such a value proposition entails a variety of possible disruption to the current digital landscape. For example, these agents have the potential to become the ultimate influencers because they are active 24/7, tireless, and can constantly engage with audiences. Unlike humans, AI agents are capable of offering personalized interactions across all time zones and cultures. AI livestreamers like Luna on Virtuals are currently building their own fanbase and can severely disrupt the influencer economy.

In a similar vein, AI agents have the potential to offer personalized and customized financial solutions, much like a personal financial advisor. Platforms like daos.fun and projects like ai16zeliza are already demonstrating the early convergence of AI agents with DeFi. These agents can analyze market trends, manage investments, and bestow tailored financial advice.

The potential for growth of AI agents is especially significant in the crypto space. Traditional finance systems almost always require identity verification in the form of government-issued ID. However, since regulatory frameworks for artificial intelligence are still undefined, the decentralized world of Web3 can serve to be a natural fit. Micropayments in the traditional banking sector often require various fees so they are impractical for the frequent transactions required by AI agents. In contrast, crypto can achieve faster and often instantaneous on-chain settlements. This speed and efficiency make crypto the perfect companion to AI-driven micropayments. Smart contract-enabled payments can also facilitate far more complex transactions than traditional ones, because permissionless wallet creation makes it especially well-suited for agent-to-agent transactions in the future.

As AI agents continue to proliferate on-chain, more research and developments will surely follow. MEXC will likely be one of the earliest platforms to catch these new innovations and give their users access to corresponding assets. Pairing a hot new narrative like AI agents with a reliable and user-friendly crypto exchange like MEXC can prove to be a recipe for success for the upcoming bull cycle.