Google is betting on stablecoins to build the next-generation payment protocol for the AI ​​economy.

By ChandlerZ, Foresight News

When artificial intelligence becomes an integral part of our lives and work, how will it exchange value? Google has the answer: through stablecoins.

On September 16, Google announced the launch of a new open-source payment protocol designed to establish a unified standard for value transfer between different artificial intelligence applications. The protocol not only supports traditional payment methods such as credit and debit cards, but also incorporates stablecoins for the first time.

In collaboration with crypto companies like Coinbase and the Ethereum Foundation, Google has strengthened its support for stablecoins in this agreement, aiming to address challenges such as cross-border payments, value transfer, and settlement efficiency that AI agents may face in their future widespread applications. James Tromans, Head of Web3 at Google Cloud, told Fortune, "When we built this system from the ground up, we considered both traditional and existing payment channel capabilities, as well as future payment capabilities like stablecoins."

This move means that Google is no longer just keeping a distance from the crypto industry through indirect means such as advertising policies or cloud node hosting, but is directly incorporating stablecoins into its product architecture for the first time to explore its real application scenarios in the AI ecosystem.

Google launches AI payment protocol, with stablecoins as a core element

According to official disclosures, over 60 institutions participated in the development of this payment protocol, representing sectors such as technology, finance, e-commerce, and crypto-native organizations. Collaboration with Coinbase was considered a key step: as one of the most compliant US crypto exchanges, Coinbase has long been involved in the stablecoin space. USDC, promoted by Coinbase and Circle, has become a leading stablecoin.

The protocol's design logic is to enable compatibility with both traditional payment networks and next-generation payment capabilities. In other words, future AI agents will be able to complete transactions using credit cards while also directly accessing stablecoins for instant settlement. This dual-track model provides the foundation for Google to build a sustainable AI-to-AI payment system.

The introduction of stablecoins will garner particular attention. Compared to highly volatile cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, stablecoins, pegged to fiat currencies like the US dollar, can provide a stable value anchor in automated payment scenarios and reduce transaction risks. The low-cost and fast settlement advantages of stablecoins are particularly prominent in cross-border payments or microservice calls frequently triggered by AI agents.

However, adopting stablecoins as a core payment tool also faces significant challenges. The first is regulatory fragmentation. While the regulatory frameworks for stablecoins in some major economies, such as the United States, are becoming increasingly clear, global legal and compliance requirements remain highly complex and inconsistent. Different countries have varying regulations regarding the issuance, circulation, and clearing of stablecoins, which undoubtedly creates compliance barriers for AI agents conducting global, automated payments.

Furthermore, technical security and risk control are paramount. The AI agent's autonomous payment capabilities require extremely high on-chain security and smart contract auditing; any vulnerability could lead to irreversible financial losses. Building a system that ensures payment efficiency while effectively preventing risks like money laundering and fraud will be a long-term challenge for Google and its partners.

At the same time, user acceptance and education costs of this new payment method, as well as how to manage permissions and conduct risk audits when AI agents have direct payment capabilities, are also challenges that cannot be ignored.

Alliances, standardization and multi-party collaboration are the inevitable choice

This payment agreement is an extension of Google's AI Agent ecosystem layout.

In April of this year, Google launched a unified communications protocol that enables AI agents from different companies to "talk" to each other. The addition of payment functionality now signifies that AI interactions are moving from information exchange to value exchange.

To ensure interoperability and compliance of the protocol, Google partnered not only with Coinbase but also with organizations including Salesforce and American Express. The participation of crypto-native organizations like the Ethereum Foundation ensured the security and scalability of the stablecoin and on-chain payments.

Sui and EigenCloud have also become the first partners of the protocol. Developed by Mysten Labs, Sui provides sub-second programmable payments. Leveraging Walrus decentralized storage, Move smart contracts, and zkLogin private identities, Sui builds an efficient and privacy-focused infrastructure, enabling AI agents to exchange value in near real-time while ensuring secure and compliant interactions. EigenCloud, on the other hand, focuses on verifiability, aiming to ensure that all actions of AI agents are not only recorded but also proven and accountable.

This cross-sector collaboration reflects a reality: the future of AI and payments cannot be dominated by a single company; rather, standardized protocols must enable interoperability among diverse entities. Google has emphasized that the goal of this protocol isn't to replace existing payment networks, but rather to enable AI agents to flexibly access different payment methods through compatibility and expansion.

Industry Outlook and Summary

From a more macro perspective, the cooperation between Google and Coinbase sends a signal: the integration of AI and crypto finance is accelerating.

As the application of AI agents in shopping, financial management, content production and other fields gradually increases, their payment needs are also shifting from single transactions to continuous, automated, cross-regional small payments.

Against this backdrop, the value of stablecoins stands out. Their global applicability, real-time nature, programmability, and cost advantages make them a natural tool for AI-to-AI transactions. Whether for cross-border payments or automated smart contract execution, stablecoins offer more efficient solutions than traditional payment systems.

This is why major tech companies like Shopify, Meta, and Apple have been exploring the use of stablecoins in recent years. As markets like the United States gradually relax regulations, stablecoins are evolving from niche tools in the crypto market to a vital bridge in the global payments and AI economy.

Overall, Google's release of the payment protocol represents more than just a product update; it signals a shift in the evolution of the global payment system. It suggests that if AI-to-AI transactions rapidly gain traction, stablecoins could become the core currency supporting their operation. For the crypto industry, this presents both new opportunities for adoption and a potential restructuring of payment logic over the next decade.