{"id":93632,"date":"2026-01-28T11:01:39","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T08:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/?p=93632"},"modified":"2026-01-28T11:07:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T08:07:01","slug":"ethereum-to-roll-out-erc%e2%80%918004-for-a-global-market-in-ai-agents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/ethereum-to-roll-out-erc%e2%80%918004-for-a-global-market-in-ai-agents\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethereum to roll out ERC\u20118004 for a global market in AI agents"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Ethereum mainnet is set to add ERC\u20118004, a standard that will let AI agents interact across organisations.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">ERC-8004 is going live on mainnet soon.<\/p>\n<p>By enabling discovery and portable reputation, ERC-8004 allows AI agents to interact across organizations ensuring credibility travels everywhere.<\/p>\n<p>This unlocks a global market where AI services can interoperate without gatekeepers. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Yrl0rvnSxj\">https:\/\/t.co\/Yrl0rvnSxj<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ethereum (@ethereum) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ethereum\/status\/2016203577203818723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 27, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The new standard enables discovery of digital assistants and their services without a central gatekeeper. It also gives them reputations that are not tied to a single platform.<\/p>\n<p>ERC\u20118004 lets users verify:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>who an AI agent is;<\/li>\n<li>what it has done previously;<\/li>\n<li>whether it can be trusted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The changes aim to unlock a global market for AI services, where assistants can interoperate without intermediaries.<\/p>\n<p>Under the <a href=\"https:\/\/eips.ethereum.org\/EIPS\/eip-8004\">ERC-8004<\/a> proposal published in August 2025, each agent receives an identifier in a dedicated registry contract. This ensures compatibility with existing infrastructure and allows assets to be transferred between owners.<\/p>\n<p>Trust models for AI agents are tiered by security levels, spanning low\u2011risk tasks such as ordering pizza to high\u2011risk ones like medical diagnostics.<\/p>\n<p>No activation date has been officially announced. However, co\u2011author of the standard and MetaMask\u2019s head of AI Marco De Rossi <a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/ERC8004\/5668\">pointed<\/a> to 29 January 2026.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cEthereum occupies a unique position as a platform that provides security and settlement for interactions between artificial intelligences,\u201d \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DavideCrapis\/status\/2016197756142899638\">noted<\/a> Davide Crapis, head of the AI division at the Ethereum Foundation.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Identity, reputation, validation<\/h2>\n<p>ERC-8004 <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/what-is-a-layer%e2%80%912-solution-in-blockchain\">introduces<\/a> a system of three registries for verification and strengthening trust in AI agents. The solution is compatible with both the mainnet and L2 protocols.<\/p>\n<p>The identity registry assigns each agent a portable, censorship\u2011resistant identifier. Compatibility with NFT standards <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/what-are-nfts\">allows<\/a> an assistant\u2019s profile to be moved easily across applications.<\/p>\n<p>The reputation registry provides an interface for signed client feedback, creating a kind of rating for digital assistants.<\/p>\n<p>The validation registry handles audits: agents request verification of their actions, and validators record the results on\u2011chain.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The future of payments<\/h2>\n<p>The crypto community is increasingly debating a future in which AI agents manage finances: making transactions, purchasing goods and operating without human involvement.<\/p>\n<p>Ethereum co\u2011founder Vitalik Buterin <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/buterin-introduces-zkid-concept-as-foundation-for-new-financial-models\">noted<\/a> that over the next 5\u201310 years AI will process \u201cmany micropayments\u201d. Full automation remains too risky for large sums.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cAI is easy to attack. But it will do for small payments. Artificial intelligence can also serve as a risk\u2011management tool for large transfers \u2014 checking whether a $100,000 transaction looks suspicious or not. I think we will gradually find the right ways to combine AI with payments. There will be successes, but also mistakes,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Paxos <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/paxos-co-founder-sees-ai-agents-as-key-to-stablecoin-market-growth\">called<\/a> AI agents a potential driver of the <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/what-are-stablecoins\">stablecoins<\/a> sector. According to company co\u2011founder Bhavu Kotecha, market fragmentation across jurisdictions and multiple models of \u201cpegged\u201d tokens can be solved with digital assistants.<\/p>\n<p>Algorithms can switch instantly among platforms and assets, selecting the most favourable terms for operations.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cThis means fragmentation is not necessarily a constraint \u2014 it can become a market\u2011level optimiser, where artificial intelligence directs liquidity flows to the most efficient issuers. Over time this could reduce fees and force providers to compete on fundamentals,\u201d Kotecha said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz expects that \u201cin the not\u2011too\u2011distant future the biggest users of stablecoins will be neural networks\u201d. Users will be able to offload everyday purchases and bill payments to AI agents, with software executing the transactions.<\/p>\n<p>Investor and Shark Tank star Kevin O\u2019Leary <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/kevin-oleary-highlights-ai-and-blockchains-revolutionary-business-potential\">noted<\/a> that artificial intelligence and blockchain will launch \u201cthe next revolution in business\u201d. AI will be able to make retail purchases on its own, while distributed\u2011ledger technology handles settlement.<\/p>\n<p>Solutions for the AI economy of the future are already being built.<\/p>\n<p>America\u2019s largest crypto exchange, Coinbase, <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/coinbase-grants-ai-agents-access-to-cryptocurrency-payments\">launched<\/a> the Payments MCP system, which lets language models such as Anthropic\u2019s Claude and Google\u2019s Gemini access a crypto wallet, fiat gateway and payments.<\/p>\n<p>PayPal <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/paypal-to-introduce-payment-feature-via-chatgpt\">will implement<\/a> the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) and OpenAI\u2019s Instant Checkout so that users can pay for purchases via ChatGPT.<\/p>\n<p>ACP is an open standard that allows merchants to list their goods in AI applications, and users to shop via agents.<\/p>\n<p>Instant Checkout, launched in September, lets users confirm order, delivery and payment without leaving ChatGPT.<\/p>\n<p>In late October, the Quack AI team <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/bnb-chain-to-introduce-x402-transactions\">unveiled<\/a> x402 BNB \u2014 \u201ca unified layer for signatures, payments and administration in the agentic economy on BNB Chain\u201d. The tool allows several steps to be replaced with one signature: confirmation \u2192 transfer \u2192 payment.<\/p>\n<p>x402 BNB \u201csolves the problem at the protocol level\u201d, providing \u201cone\u2011click, gasless transactions that can be verified, checked and controlled\u201d.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ethereum isn\u2019t earning<\/h2>\n<p>Fees on the Ethereum network have fallen to their lowest level since May 2017.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"603\" src=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/img-ba32b5794c6e83ee-4803481266711250-1024x603.png\" alt=\"image\" class=\"wp-image-274114\" srcset=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/img-ba32b5794c6e83ee-4803481266711250-1024x603.png 1024w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/img-ba32b5794c6e83ee-4803481266711250-300x177.png 300w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/img-ba32b5794c6e83ee-4803481266711250-768x452.png 768w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/img-ba32b5794c6e83ee-4803481266711250.png 1523w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/studio.glassnode.com\/charts\/fees.VolumeSum?a=ETH&#038;chartStyle=column&#038;mAvg=7&#038;mScl=lin&#038;s=1470138359&#038;u=1769385600&#038;zoom=\">Glassnode<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>That is not due to falling activity. In January the network of the second\u2011largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/ethereum-transactions-reach-record-high-amid-low-fees\">set a new all\u2011time high<\/a> for transfers. The seven\u2011day average neared 2.5m \u2014 twice last year\u2019s level.<\/p>\n<p>On\u2011chain activity began to surge in mid\u2011December after a long slump. Scalability has been supported by recent upgrades.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/fusaka-hard-fork-goes-live-on-ethereum-mainnet\">activation<\/a> of the Fusaka upgrade at the start of winter;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/ethereum-increases-blob-object-limit-to-21\">fork<\/a> Blob Parameter-Only (January 7), which raised the per\u2011block blob limit from 15 to 21.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In January, Glassnode <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/glassnode-reports-a-doubling-in-new-ethereum-users\">recorded<\/a> a doubling in Ethereum\u2019s activity\u2011retention metric.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Ethereum mainnet is set to add ERC\u20118004, a standard that will let AI agents interact across organisations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93633,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"select":"1","news_style_id":"1","cryptorium_level":"","_short_excerpt_text":"Ethereum readies ERC\u20118004 to let AI agents interoperate and carry portable reputations.","creation_source":"","_metatest_mainpost_news_update":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1751,438,46],"class_list":["post-93632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-analysis","tag-ai-agents","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-ethereum"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"views":"377","promo_type":"1","layout_type":"1","short_excerpt":"Ethereum readies ERC\u20118004 to let AI agents interoperate and carry portable reputations.","is_update":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93632"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93632\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93634,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93632\/revisions\/93634"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/93633"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}