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• Armstrong believes that crypto is a general-purpose technology that should be considered infrastructure, similar to electricity or the internet.
• The CEO said that a strong AI megatrend does not detract from crypto but makes it more important.
• He said that in time, as Agentic Finance becomes more mainstream, it will need real-time programmable money, i.e. crypto. 

The artificial intelligence (AI) boom has prompted several crypto companies to reinvent themselves as data-center and high-performance computing plays, but Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says investors should not view the shift as a choice between the two technologies.

Armstrong wrote in a post on X that treating AI and crypto as competing themes reflects "zero-sum, scarcity thinking," adding that AI could ultimately make crypto more important by creating demand for programmable, real-time digital payments.

Why Armstrong Says AI Is Bullish For Crypto 

Armstrong believes that crypto is a general-purpose technology that should be considered infrastructure, similar to electricity or the internet. “It doesn't compete with the next big thing, because it underpins it,” he said. 

The CEO said that a strong AI megatrend does not detract from crypto. On the contrary, “If anything, it makes crypto more important,” he said. 

He said that in time, AI agents will require their own financial infrastructure and could potentially transact far more per day than all humans combined as Agentic Finance (AiFi) becomes more mainstream. 

“They (AI agents) can't open a bank account, they can't wait three days for a wire, they reside in one country. They need real time programmable money (and that's crypto),” he said. 

Armstrong also highlighted the multiple responsibilities of AI agents, including the need to hold funds, make payments, engage in trading, act as a financial advisor, raise or borrow money for new projects, among others. 

“They will eliminate tasks for us around tax planning, portfolio rebalancing, and bill pay,” he said. 

The Recent Trend Of Crypto Companies Pivoting To AI

Armstrong’s comments come amid a recent slew of Bitcoin mining and other crypto companies accelerating their shift toward AI over the last few years.

Keel Infrastructure Corp. (KEEL) completed its exit from Bitcoin mining and rebranded to focus on energy-backed data centres in April this year, while TeraWulf Inc. (WULF) began winding down mining operations to pursue AI and high-performance computing (HPC) opportunities from late 2025. 

Other notable names include Hut 8 Corp. (HUT), which expanded its data-centre strategy through new customer agreements, and Cipher Digital Inc. (CIFR) which pivoted to AI by securing hyperscaler-backed contracts and building AI-ready campuses. 

All these companies have posted gains this year while Bitcoin has declined about 25% in 2026. HUT stock has gained nearly 140% year-to-date, while KEEL stock has gained more than 81%. WULF and CIFR are up about 60% and 57% respectively. 

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