Artificial intelligence (AI) agents are expected to change almost every aspect of the workplace. As more of these autonomous systems are integrated into crypto and blockchain projects, questions arise regarding how long it will be before AI agents appear in mainstream work areas. 

BeInCrypto spoke with representatives from Coinbase, Theoriq, O.xyz, 0G Labs, and Balance.fun to learn more about how AI agents operate, what areas of the workplace they will impact the most, and how to best prepare for their permanent arrival. 

The Rise of AI Agents

AI agents have become a hot topic in Web3 as a subsection of artificial intelligence.

This technology drives change across various sectors, offering cost savings and productivity improvements. It is also influencing how decisions are made and redefining job roles.

These systems make decisions and perform tasks independently. Unlike AI bots, they adapt to tasks and handle multi-step processes with goal-oriented autonomy. Given their vast capabilities, AI agents have also unleashed alarm bells due to the disruptions they can cause to current workforce dynamics.

According to a recent report by All About AI, nearly one-third of workers worldwide worry that AI advancements could replace their jobs within the next three years. The potential behind these agents further validates their fears.

“‬‭It‬‭ could‬‭ boost‬‭ economic‬‭ efficiency‬‭ and‬‭ innovation‬‭ but‬‭ also‬‭ lead‬‭ to‬‭ job‬‭ displacement, requiring‬‭ reskilling‬‭ for‬‭ affected‬‭ workers.‬‭ Socially,‬‭ it‬‭ could‬‭ widen‬‭ inequality‬‭ without‬‭ equitable‬‭ access,‬‭ while‬‭ fostering‬‭ advancements‬‭ in‬‭ healthcare,‬‭ education,‬‭ and‬‭ productivity,” Michael Heinrich, Co-Founder and CEO of 0G Labs, told BeInCrypto.

In a statement earlier this month, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman predicted that the first AI agents could enter the workforce by 2025, altering how businesses operate. Meanwhile, markets are already feeling their effects.

A New Market Force

AI agents’ impact on the crypto market has already been extensive. According to data from Crypto.com, artificial intelligence emerged as the best-performing sector in 2024, with AI agents particularly witnessing the biggest log return of 186%.

This success also spilled into innovations in the blockchain industry.

“‬‭Investment‬‭ in‬‭ AI‬‭ related‬‭ Blockchain‬‭ projects‬‭ also‬‭ surged‬‭ by‬‭ 340%‬‭ year-over-year‬‭ in‬‭ 2024‬‭.‬‭ In‬‭ 2025‬‭ it’s‬‭ predicted‬‭ that‬‭ over‬‭ 80%‬‭ of‬‭ blockchain‬‭ transactions‬‭ will‬‭ involve‭ autonomous agents, marking a shift in how decentralized networks operate,” ‭‭ Ahmad‬‭ Shadid‬‭,‬‭ Founder‬‭ and‬‭ CEO of‬‭ O.xyz‬, told BeInCrypto.

Key AI agent projects that have gained traction over the past year showcase their potential for broader industry applications.

Leading AI-Powered Crypto Projects

The Virtuals Protocol, which allows users to create and monetize AI agents using cryptocurrency tokens, contributed significantly to the growth of AI agents last year.  

One example is Aixbt, an AI-powered influencer launched on the platform in November. Aixbt uses machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive analytics to give users insights into the cryptocurrency market. By automating market analysis, it suggests trading strategies based on probabilities.

“AI‬‭ agents‬‭ are‬‭ already‬‭ making‬‭ waves‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ crypto‬‭ sector,‬‭ starting‬‭ as‬‭ “social”‬‭ or‬‭ “personality”‬‭ agents.‬‭ These‬‭ agents scrape‬‭ data‬‭ from‬‭ various‬‭ sources‬‭ to‬‭ provide‬‭ users‬‭ with‬‭ valuable‬‭ insights‬‭ and‬‭ commentary.‬‭ They’ve‬‭ captured‬‭ widespread‬‭ attention,‬‭ showcasing‬‭ the‬‭ potential‬‭ of‬‭ AI‬‭ in‬‭ Web3,” said Ron Bodkin, Founder at Theoriq. 

Truth Terminal is another AI agent that blends cultural creativity with blockchain functionality. It’s best known for creating the “Goatse Gospel,” a quirky AI-generated narrative that inspired the meme coin GOAT. 

But it’s not just about memes. It leverages AI to produce viral content and innovative ideas that resonate with communities. 

“Meme‬‭ coins‬‭ –‬‭a‬‭ sector‬‭ often‬‭ dismissed‬‭ as‬‭ niche‬‭–‭ have‬‭ demonstrated‬‭ the‬‭ power‬‭ of‬‭ autonomous‬‭ agents.‬‭ GOAT,”‬ a‬‭ meme‬‭ coin‬‭ that‬‭ reached‬‭ a‬‭ $937‬‭ million‬‭ valuation‬‭ as‬‭ per‬‭ Bitget‬‭ report‬‭,‬‭ exemplifies‬‭ this.‬‭ The Terminal of‬‭ Truths influenced the coin’s‬ ‭ success‬‭.‬‭ With‬‭ over‬‭ 250,000‬‭ followers‬‭ on‬‭ X,‬‭ it‬‭ showcases‬‭ how‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ can‬‭ integrate‬‭ with‬‭ public‬‭ platforms‬‭ to‬‭ drive‬‭ engagement‬‭ and‬‭ decision-making,” Shadid added. 

As AI agents improve, their personalized insights, automated strategies, and intuitive interface will transform crypto trading.

AI-Driven Crypto Trading

While last year saw these autonomous systems primarily used for content creation and social media engagement to generate attention, AI agents in crypto trading are poised to be a defining trend in 2025. 

“AI‬‭ agents‬‭ in‬‭ Web3‬‭ have‬‭ already‬‭ reached‬‭ a‬‭ market‬‭ valuation‬‭ of‬‭ $15‬‭ billion‬‭ at‬‭ the‬‭ end‬‭ of‬‭ 2024,‬‭ with‬‭ projections‬‭ of‬‭ $150‬‭ billion‬‭ by‬‭ the‬‭ end‬‭ of‬‭ 2025,” Bodkin noted. 

Given their inherent autonomy, AI agents can act independently. Because they aren’t human, they can work 24-hour shifts.

“‭The‬‭ future‬‭ development‬‭ goal‬‭ of‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ is‬‭ to‬‭ become‬‭ more‬‭ intelligent‬‭ humans,‬‭ performing‬‭ better‬‭ under‬‭ the‬‭ existing‬‭ rules‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ game.‬‭ Rather‬‭ than‬‭ necessarily‬‭ changing the rules of the game,” said Norris Wang, Co-Founder at gaming companion platform Balance.fun.

AI agents’ advantages over humans allow them to continuously monitor market conditions and execute actions based on pre-defined parameters without requiring constant user intervention.

They can effectively function as self-reliant assistants for managing cryptocurrency portfolios and executing trades.

“AI‬‭ agents‬‭ will‬‭ automate‬‭ trading‬‭ strategies,‬‭ simplify‬‭ complex‬‭ transactions,‬‭ and‬ ‭ make‬‭ crypto‬‭ more‬‭ user-friendly.‬‭ Imagine‬‭ being‬‭ able‬‭ to‬‭ trade,‬‭ manage‬‭ your‬‭ portfolio‬‭ or‬‭ even‬‭ pay‬‭ for‬‭ fast‬‭ food‬‭ with‬‭ just‬‭ a‬‭ voice‬‭ command,” said Nemil‬‭ Dalal‬‭,‬‭ Head‬‭ of‬‭ Coinbase’s‬‭ Developer Platform‬.

According to Shadid, AI agents will have a particularly strong impact on crypto staking and DAO governance.

“As‬‭ of‬‭ January‬‭ 2025‬‭ over‬‭ 10,000‬‭ Al‬‭ agents‬‭ operate‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ Web‬‭ 3‬‭ ecosystem. ‬‭In‬‭ staking‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ can‬‭ optimize‬‭ participation‬‭ by‬‭ analyzing‬‭ real-time‬‭ network‬‭ conditions,‬‭ which‬‭ significantly‬‭ minimizes‬‭ risks.‬‭ Manual‬‭ staking‬‭ requires‬‭ constant‬‭ oversight,‬‭ while‬‭ these‬‭ agents‬‭ adjust‬‭ strategies‬‭ autonomously‬‭ to‬‭ maintain‬‭ efficiency.‬‭ Also,‬‭ in‬‭ managing‬‭ DAOs,‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ can‬‭ automate‬‭ tasks‬‭ such‬‭ as‬‭ fund‬‭ allocation,‬‭ proposal‬‭ voting,‬‭ and‬‭ governance‬‭ monitoring.‬‭ This‬‭ real-time‬‭ automation‬‭ eliminates‬‭ bottlenecks,‬‭ creating‬‭ a‬‭ more viable scope for swift and unbiased decision-making,” he added.

The advancements that AI agents have made in the cryptocurrency sector alone illustrate their potential in other industries.

AI Agent Impact Will Be Far-Reaching

According to MarketsandMarkets data, the global AI agent market is forecast to grow from $5.1 billion in 2024 to $47.1 billion by 2030, with a projected 45% compound annual growth rate.

The need for automation and efficiency in sectors like healthcare, finance, and customer service will particularly fuel this surge in growth.

“By‬‭ 2027,‬‭ Deloitte‬‭ predicts‬‭ that‬‭ half‬‭ of‬‭ companies‬‭ that‬‭ use‬‭ generative‬‭ AI‬‭ will‬‭ have‬‭ launched‬‭ agentic‬‭ AI‬‭ pilots‬‭ or‬‭ proofs‬‭ of‬‭ concept‬‭ that‬‭ will‬‭ be‬‭ capable‬‭ of‬‭ acting‬‭ as‬‭ smart‬‭ assistants,‬‭ performing‬‭ complex‬‭ tasks‬‭ with‬‭ minimal‬‭ human‬‭ supervision.‬‭ Jensen‬‭ Huang‬‭ recently‬‭ stated‬‭ that‬‭ ‘the‬‭ IT‬‭ department‬‭ of‬‭ every‬‭ company‬‭ is‬‭ going‬‭ to‬‭ be‬‭ the‬‭ HR‬‭ department‬‭ of‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ future’‬‭ and‬‭ that‬‭ ‘AI‬‭ Agents‬‭ are‬‭ a‬‭ multi-trillion‬‭ dollar‬‭ opportunity’.‬‭ Agents‬‭ are‬‭ here,‬‭ and‬‭ they‬‭ aren’t‬‭ slowing down,” Bodkin stated.

Heinrich gave a similar answer:

“In‬‭ healthcare,‬‭ decentralized‬‭ AI‬‭ can‬‭ securely‬‭ manage‬‭ patient‬‭ data,‬‭ ensuring‬‭ privacy‬‭ and‬‭ compliance‬‭ with‬‭ regulations.‬‭ In‬‭ finance,‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ can‬‭ execute‬‭ smart‬‭ contracts‬‭ for‬‭ trading‬‭ and‬‭ risk‬‭ management,‬‭ enhancing‬‭ transparency‬‭ and‬‭ efficiency.‬‭ Supply‬‭ chain‬‭ management‬‭ can‬‭ benefit‬‭ from‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ that‬‭ track‬‭ products‬‭ in‬‭ real-time,‬‭ ensuring‬‭ authenticity‬‭ and‬‭ reducing‬‭ fraud.‬‭ These‬‭ sectors,‬‭ characterized‬‭ by‬‭ their‬‭ longevity‬‭ and‬‭ resilience‬‭ against‬‭ market‬‭ volatility,‬‭ stand‬‭ to‬‭ gain substantial benefits from integrating AI agents on robust AI L1 infrastructure,” he said.

For Wang, on the other hand, AI agents will have a deep impact on the gaming industry. He expects their influence to be transformative.

“On‬‭ one‬‭ hand,‬‭ on‬‭ the‬‭ production‬‭ side,‬‭ the‬‭ emergence‬‭ of‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ allows‬‭ more‬‭ independent‬‭ games‬‭ to‬‭ produce‬‭ extremely high-quality products with just a good idea.‬‭ On‬‭ the‬‭ other‬‭ hand,‬‭ on‬‭ the‬‭ consumer‬‭ side,‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ will‬‭ greatly‬‭ change‬‭ the‬‭ future‬‭ of gaming.‬‭ The‬‭ interaction‬‭ between‬‭ AI‬‭ and‬‭ AI,‬‭ and‬‭ between‬‭ humans‬‭ and‬‭ AI,‬‭ will‬‭ become‬‭ mainstream for future games,” Wang told BeInCrypto.

However, the effect of AI agents on the job market will also present a series of opportunities.

The Rise of New Opportunities

While job displacement is inevitable amid the rise of autonomous technologies, some experts believe AI agents will create new jobs and increase demand for specific skills.

“AI‬‭ creates‬‭ a‬‭ number‬‭ of‬‭ new‬‭ jobs,‬‭ in‬‭ turn,‬‭ and,‬‭ with‬‭ the‬‭ evolution‬‭ of‬‭ AI‬‭ agents,‬‭ we‬‭ would‬ ‭ have‬‭ even‬‭ more.‬‭ Roles‬‭ in‬‭ building,‬‭ maintaining,‬‭ and‬‭ optimizing‬‭ AI-driven‬‭ frameworks‬‭ will‬‭ become‬‭ more‬‭ and‬‭ more‬‭ in-demand.‬‭ As‬‭ well‬‭ as‬‭ positions,‬‭ ensuring‬‭ transparency‬‭ and‬‭ ethical‬‭ alignment‬‭ of‬‭ AI‬‭ systems.‬‭ In‬‭ my‬‭ opinion‬‭ the‬‭ most‬‭ important‬‭ job‬‭ in‬‭ AI‬‭ would‬‭ be‬‭ community‬‭ engagement‬‭ roles,‬‭ focused‬‭ on‬‭ fostering‬‭ community‬‭ participation‬‭ and‬‭ integrating feedback into AI decision-making processes,” said Shadid.

To that, Bodkin added:

“While‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ will‬‭ undoubtedly‬‭ disrupt‬‭ certain‬‭ job‬‭ categories,‬‭ they‬‭ will‬‭ also‬‭ create‬‭ a‬‭ wide‬‭ range‬‭ of‬‭ new‬‭ opportunities.‬‭ The‬‭ demand‬‭ for‬‭ skilled‬‭ professionals‬‭ to‬‭ build‬‭ as‬‭ well‬‭ as‬‭ manage‬‭ AI‬‭ systems‬‭ will‬‭ increase.‬‭ This‬‭ includes‬‭ roles‬‭ in‬‭ AI‬‭ development,‬‭ cybersecurity,‬‭ ethical‬‭ oversight,‬‭ and‬‭ governance.‬‭ The‬‭ rise‬‭ of‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ is‬‭ not‬‭ just‬‭ a‬‭ technological‬‭ shift;‬‭ it’s‬‭ a‬‭ transformation‬‭ in‬‭ how‬‭ we‬‭ conceptualize work and human-machine collaboration.”

Regardless, responsible use of AI agents and preparing workers for their impact will be crucial as these technologies transform workplaces across industries.

AI Agent Deployment Will Require Careful Risk Management

The development of artificial intelligence technologies is concentrated in the hands of a handful of corporations. Major players include Anthropic, Google DeepMind, IBM, Microsoft, and OpenAI.

“As‬‭ AI‬‭ agents‬‭ get‬‭ more‬‭ powerful‬‭ it’s‬‭ important‬‭ that‬‭ we‬‭ don’t‬‭ have‬‭ a‬‭ concentration‬‭ of‬‭ power‬‭ and‬‭ control‬‭ over‬‭ them‬‭ and‬‭ we‬‭ have‬‭ community‬‭ governance‬‭ with‬‭ proper‬‭ incentives for agents.‬ If‬‭ monopolies‬‭ or‬‭ large‬‭ corporations‬‭ dominate‬‭ AI‬‭ development,‬‭ this‬‭ could‬‭ exacerbate‬‭ inequality.‬‭ That’s‬‭ why‬‭ we‬‭ advocate‬‭ for‬‭ decentralization—empowering‬‭ individuals and communities with control over the technology,” said Bodkin.

Industry experts also pointed to data privacy and user security as other factors.

“‬‭Transparency‬‭ and‬‭ accountability‬‭ are‬‭ key‬‭ when‬‭ adopting‬‭ AI‬‭ agents.‬‭ It’s‬‭ essential‬ ‭ to‬‭ address‬‭ bias‬‭ in‬‭ AI‬‭ decisions‬‭ and‬‭ ensure‬‭ user‬‭ privacy‬‭ and‬‭ data‬‭ security.‬ ‭ Developers‬‭ should‬‭ be‬‭ implementing‬‭ robust‬‭ security‬‭ measures‬‭ to‬‭ protect‬‭ end‬‭ users‬‭ and‬‭ maintain‬‭ trust.‬‭ And‬‭ users‬‭ should‬‭ keep‬‭ in‬‭ mind‬‭ that‬‭ AI‬‭ isn’t‬‭ perfect‬‭ yet‬‭ and it should always be double checked or disclosed,” Dalal explained.

There are also steps businesses can start taking now to make the transition easier.

“‬‭Start experimenting now. Use AI more, participate more in the construction of AI,” Wang said.

According to Bodkin, offering resources to employees would also simplify the process. 

“By‬‭ adopting‬‭ AI‬‭ early,‬‭ businesses‬‭ and‬‭ individuals‬‭ can‬‭ stay‬‭ competitive‬‭ while‬‭ ensuring‬‭ the‬‭ workforce‬‭ is‬‭ prepared‬‭ for‬‭ the‬‭ changes‬‭ ahead.‬‭ This‬‭ means‬‭ investing‬‭ in‬‭ training‬‭ programs‬‭ and‬‭ even‬‭ restructuring‬‭ jobs‬‭ to‬‭ complement‬‭ AI‬‭ capabilities.‬‭ This‬‭ way,‬‭ you‬‭ promote‬‭ a‬‭ culture‬‭ of‬‭ innovation‬‭ that‬‭ allows‬‭ individuals‬‭ to‬‭ adapt‬‭ to‬‭ new‬‭ roles.‬‭ The‬‭ key‬‭ will‬‭ be‬‭ collaboration‬‭ to‬‭ ensure‬‭ a‬‭ smooth‬‭ transition‬‭ to‬‭ an‬‭ AI-augmented workforce,” he said.

Shadid agreed with that point and added:

“‬Including‬‭ AI‬‭ in‬‭ your‬‭ work‬‭ is‬‭ the‬‭ first‬‭ step‬‭ towards‬‭ being‬‭ ready‬‭ for‬‭ the‬‭ change.‬‭ A‬‭ big‬‭ part‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ job‬‭ market‬‭ will‬‭ require‬‭ candidates‬‭ to‬‭ be‬‭ at‬‭ least‬‭ familiar‬‭ with‬‭ it,‬‭ if‬‭ not‬‭ well-versed.‬‭ Businesses‬‭ can‬‭ explore‬‭ frameworks‬‭ for‬‭ automation‬‭ to‬‭ stay‬‭ agile‬‭ and‬‭ adaptive.”

AI agents will undoubtedly transform the workplace, but their responsible development and deployment are crucial.

“It’s‬‭ time‬‭ for‬‭ us‬‭ to‬‭ shift‬‭ away‬‭ from‬‭ opaque‬‭ systems‬‭ and‬‭ adopt‬‭ technology‬‭ that prioritizes both ethics and progress,” Heinrich concluded.

Collaboration between stakeholders will be paramount to ensure a smooth and equitable transition to an AI-augmented workforce.

Concerns about a bear market are growing as Bitcoin ETF outflows ramp up dramatically alongside the ongoing volatility. Other hopes, like state-level Bitcoin Reserves, are failing, and it’s difficult to find a clear bullish trend.

Industry experts like Arthur Hayes predict that any losses will be temporary, with a fierce rebound by the end of the year. However, this would be the first major price collapse since ETF approval and institutional adoption, and non-crypto-native investors could behave in unpredictable ways.

Is Bitcoin Headed for a Bear Market?

Bitcoin, the world’s first and largest cryptocurrency, has been on a downward price trajectory lately. Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) saw a huge drop in stock price despite spending nearly $2 billion on the asset, and broader economic headwinds are having a real dampening effect.

A few worrying trends are building speculation about a Bitcoin bear market:

“Bitcoin goblin town incoming: Lots of IBIT holders are hedge funds that went long ETF [and] short CME futures to earn a yield greater than where they fund, short term US treasuries. If that basis drops as BTC falls, then these funds will sell IBIT and buy back CME futures,” claimed Arthur Hayes, former CEO of BitMEX.

Hayes also referenced his earlier prediction from January that the asset was set for a price drop to $70,000. This bear market will not last forever, he claimed, and Bitcoin would rebound by the end of the year, but it would face significant pain first.

Hayes’ predictions centered around the US Bitcoin ETF market, which has been facing its own pressures.

These ETFs are indeed showing signs of a bear market, caused by one simple correlation: the tendency of Bitcoin to decline alongside traditional stocks.

Even though there is a huge appetite for institutional investment, it’s very shallow in some ways. If BTC’s potential returns diminish, investors will look elsewhere, as evidenced by substantial outflows.

These one-day outflows total over $500 million from the top 10 ETFs alone. Last week, however, the entire market had $585 million in outflows, the worst level in five months.

If ETF outflows keep accelerating at this dramatic pace, a Bitcoin bear market seems very likely.

Bitcoin Reserve Hopes Fail, Deflating Enthusiasm

Another factor might cause additional downward pressure if political developments don’t live up to hopes. Specifically, many US states launched efforts to enact Bitcoin Reserves, which would trigger up to $23 billion in BTC purchases.

However, some Republican members themselves are defeating these efforts nationwide. With its other setbacks, can Bitcoin bear a major disappointment here?

In short, many factors are making a Bitcoin bear market seem like a credible prospect. However, the industry is no stranger to harsh price fluctuations. Hayes and other commentators have claimed that it will be temporary at best, with a rebound by the end of 2025.

The only question, then, is how a non-crypto-native investor class will deal with these cyclical patterns. Since the Bitcoin ETFs were approved in 2024, the industry has yet to face a genuine bear market on par with previous collapses.

Institutional investors have recently poured billions into crypto, but it’s uncertain how they will deal with the volatility inherent in this industry.

Onyxcoin (XCN) has extended its losing streak, plunging another 22% in the last 24 hours. It now trades at a 30-day low of $0.015.

With a growing bearish bias toward the altcoin, its price may continue to drop. This analysis explains why. 

Onyxcoin Traders Remain Bearish

XCN’s persistent negative funding rate is a major indicator of the bearish bias against it. According to Coinglass, the altcoin’s funding rate has been predominantly negative since December 9. At press time, this stands at -0.17%. 

The funding rate is a periodic fee exchanged between long and short traders in perpetual futures contracts to keep prices aligned with the spot market. When it is negative, short traders are paying long traders. This indicates that most XCN traders are bearish and expect further price declines.

In addition, XCN’s open interest has been in a downward trend, highlighting the poor demand for the altcoin among market participants. Per Coinglass data, as of this writing, it stands at $6 million, marking its lowest level in 30 days.

An asset’s open interest measures the total number of its outstanding derivative contracts, such as futures or options, that have not been settled. When it falls alongside the asset’s price, as in XCN’s case, it indicates weakening market participation, with traders closing their positions rather than opening new ones.

This indicates that XCN’s price decline is driven by liquidation or profit-taking rather than fresh short-selling, reducing the likelihood of a sharp short-term rebound.

Bearish Clouds Loom Over XCN

On the daily chart, XCN trades below the Leading Spans A and B of its Ichimoku Cloud indicator. This momentum indicator measures an asset’s market trends and identifies potential support/resistance levels. When an asset falls below this cloud, the market is in a downtrend. 

In this case, the cloud acts as a dynamic resistance level for XCN. It confirms the likelihood of its continued price decline as long as the price remains below the cloud and demand continues to drop. If this trend persists, XCN’s value could dip to $0.011.

On the other hand, if buying activity resumes, XCN’s value could rocket to $0.022.