Infrastructure is destiny
Payments drive the future of infrastructure, but why? Because everybody spends.
In this Subs, we talk a lot about the future of money, we like robots, and lately we have been talking about how financial infrastructure us quietly turning the world into a playground for autonomous AI agents. If you’ve ever wondered how your fridge might soon negotiate with your grocery store, or why your trading bot is suddenly acting like it’s got a favorite coffee shop, you’re not alone. Welcome to the era of “agentic settlements, agentic workflows, and agentic trading”. We are entering the times when AI agents don’t just analyze data, they “do” stuff. They buy, sell, settle, and occasionally, probably, argue with your toaster.
Let’s start with the basics: infrastructure is destiny. The reason you can order a pizza from your phone isn’t because you’re a genius; it's because someone built the rails. Now, that same logic is transforming AI from a clever assistant into an autonomous economic actor. Modern payment rails, such as instant stablecoin payments, programmable APIs, and agent-native protocols, are letting AI agents transact, settle, and trade without human intervention.
The Big Shift:
- Old World: Payments are slow, manual, and built for humans (with all their passwords, CAPTCHAs, and “Sorry, your card was declined” moments).
- New World: Payments are fast, programmable, and built for machines. Agents can pay each other, settle trades, and orchestrate workflows in real time, no humans required!!!
This is not just “automation”, it’s the birth of a new economic species. And it’s happening because payments and finance are finally catching up to what AI can do.
What Are Agentic Settlements, Agentic Workflows, and Agentic Trading?
Agentic Settlements
Think of this as the AI version of a closing agent or clearinghouse: when two bots agree on a trade, the settlement system ensures the goods, money, or data move instantly and securely. No more waiting three business days for your funds to clear, no more paperwork, no more “please hold while we verify your identity.” It’s all automated, all the time.
Why It Matters:
- Real-time commerce: Agents can buy and sell on your behalf, settle instantly, and unlock new business models (like pay-per-use or microtransactions).
- Programmable trust: Smart contracts ensure payments only happen when conditions are met, verified by agents themselves.
Agentic Workflows
This is where AI agents don’t just execute a single task. They orchestrate entire business processes. Imagine a workflow where one agent checks your inventory, another orders supplies, a third handles payments, and a fourth manages compliance. All coordinated, all autonomous.
Why It Matters:
- Dynamic automation: Agents can adapt to changing circumstances, making decisions and executing tasks without human micromanagement.
- End-to-end efficiency: Businesses can automate everything from onboarding to customer support to compliance.
Agentic Trading
AI agents are now trading stocks, crypto, and commodities. Not just following rules, but learning, adapting, and optimizing strategies in real time. Unlike traditional algorithmic trading, agentic trading platforms are designed for agents as primary users, not humans.
Why It Matters:
- Speed and scale: Agents can analyze markets, execute trades, and settle positions faster than any human.
- New markets: Platforms optimized for agents attract more agent-driven liquidity, reshaping who (or what) participates in markets.
Here are my three favorite AGI Tools
Mastra: The Workflow Maestro
- Agentic Workflows: Mastra shines at orchestrating complex workflows with agents as first-class citizens. Think of automating customer support, document generation, or even weather-based activity planning, each step handled by a specialized agent, all coordinated within a single workflow.
- Use Case: A fintech startup uses Mastra to automate loan processing: one agent gathers documents, another verifies identity, a third underwrites the loan, and a fourth disburses funds, maybe you can add an evaluation agent that create a score All in minutes, not days.
ElizaOS: The Web3 Polyglot
- Agentic Settlements & Trading: ElizaOS is built for the Web3 world, letting agents interact with blockchains, smart contracts, and decentralized apps. It’s perfect for agentic trading and settlements where agents need to read/write blockchain data, manage wallets, and execute trades autonomously.
- Use Case: A crypto trading desk deploys ElizaOS agents that monitor Twitter and Discord for market-moving news, execute on-chain trades, and settle positions, all while keeping a persistent memory of past performance and adapting strategies on the fly.
Virtuals Protocol: The Onchain Economy
- Agentic Commerce & Monetization: Virtuals Protocol tokenizes AI agents, letting them operate as autonomous businesses. Agents can generate revenue, share profits with token holders, and even trade services with other agents, all on-chain.
- Use Case: An entertainment company launches a virtual influencer (an AI agent) that streams content, interacts with fans, and sells digital goods. All transactions tips, purchases, collaborations are settled instantly on-chain, with revenue distributed to the agent’s co-owners.
Why This Technology Is the Future
Let’s be honest: the world is getting too fast, too complex, too expensive and too digital for humans to micromanage every transaction, workflow, or trade. Agentic infrastructure is the logical next step. It’s not just about making things faster or cheaper, it’s about enabling entirely new forms of economic activity that were impossible before:
- Frictionless, global commerce: Agents can transact 24/7, across borders, in any currency or token.
- New business models: Micropayments, pay-per-use, data barter, and tokenized revenue sharing become viable at scale.
- Resilience and adaptability: When the world changes, agents can adapt in real time, no need to rewrite the manual.
- Human + AI collaboration: Humans set the goals, agents handle the grunt work, and everyone gets more done.
In conclusion:
The rails are being laid for a future where AI agents don’t just assist—they act, transact, and settle. Payments and finance infrastructure are the unsung heroes making this possible. The platforms leading this charge Mastra, ElizaOS, and Virtuals Protocol aren’t just building tools; they’re building the backbone of the agentic economy. And if that doesn’t sound like the start of the next industrial revolution, I don’t know what does.
So next time your fridge buys milk without asking, just remember: it’s not magic. It’s agentic infrastructure. And it’s only getting started.