A new report from Taraxa claims that many leading blockchain projects have dramatically overestimated their throughput. The study shows that major blockchain networks like Sonic, Solana, and Aptos have a significant gap between theoretical TPS (transaction per second) and the actual max TPS on the mainnet.

The findings suggest a massive overestimation of network efficiency and speed for these networks.

Most Blockchains Overestimate Efficiency

Taraxa, a Layer-1 blockchain, conducted an extensive analysis of several leading blockchains. It’s evident that most networks publicize new advances in their blockchain’s throughput, but many of these tests are conducted in ideal conditions. This study wished to observe how the most ‘bullish’ claims compare to regular operating conditions.

“Investors, developers, and users deserve transparency. The blockchain industry has long been obsessed with theoretical performance figures, but numbers generated in a lab mean little if they can’t be replicated in real-world conditions,” Taraxa co-founder Steven Pu said in an exclusive press release shared with BeInCrypto.

This investigation sought to assess these real-world conditions through a metric called “TPS per dollar.” Taraxa compared a blockchain’s transactions per second to the actual cost of running a validator node and used that to determine actual throughput.

This would be a more accurate way to determine how well these firms can live up to expectations.

Case in point, the study looked at the highest-ever recorded throughput on several blockchain projects, with a few important caveats. Permissioned and sharded networks were excluded, and some specific transactions (like voting transactions) were discarded to avoid number inflation.

Then, these figures were compared to developer-provided TPS claims:

The results of this test revealed extremely high exaggeration. Sonic (formerly Fantom) reported blockchain throughput over 100x its actual capabilities, but the industry average was 20x. The L1 blockchain space is full of fierce competition, providing a clear incentive for this systematic inflation.

“Our research also shows that many networks require expensive hardware just to achieve modest transaction rates, which is neither technically impressive nor decentralized. By focusing on verifiable data from live networks, we can shift the conversation toward meaningful performance metrics,” Pu added.

Comparing TPS to dollar costs also provided interesting data. Solana had the highest costs by far, but it used these resources efficiently to maintain a high blockchain throughput. Taraxa also claimed that it had the best ratio in the entire industry by wide margins, which may impact its reasons for conducting the study and using this metric.

Regardless of the firm’s desire to market its own capabilities, blockchain throughput estimations seem heavily inflated across the whole industry. Taraxa has been analyzing several crucial Web3 sectors, such as the AI industry, and its results seem valuable.

Hopefully, some hard data here will encourage more realistic reporting from these projects.

The SEC dropped its investigation into Uniswap Labs, causing the UNI token to briefly jump while bearish conditions still dominate the market. Despite the volatility, it has been a positive month for the decentralized exchange, as it launched the v4 upgrade and Unichain mainnet this month.

Uniswap’s CEO Hayden Adams claimed that TradFi regulations are not applicable to the crypto space and that new ones are required. Now that another enforcement case has been dropped, pressure is building to create these friendlier regulations.

SEC Vs Uniswap Ends Without Any Enforcement

When the SEC sent a Wells Notice to Uniswap last year, it kicked off a year-long investigation. The Commission claimed it was an operated unregistered broker, exchange, and clearing agency and issued an unregistered security.

In response, the industry rallied behind it. This probe, which was considered integral to the future of DeFi, has now been dropped by the SEC.

“This is a huge win, not just for Uniswap Labs but for DeFi as a whole. I’m grateful that the new SEC leadership is taking a more constructive approach, and I look forward to working with Congress and regulators to help create rules that actually make sense for DeFi. The best days for DeFi are ahead,” claimed Uniswap CEO Hayden Adams.

The quiet end to the Uniswap case is part of a new trend at the SEC. Since President Trump’s term began last month, the Commission has been dropping crypto enforcement suits left and right. In the last few days, it dropped a major suit against Coinbase, while ending investigations into Opensea and Robinhood.

Now that the SEC has dropped its case, Uniswap’s UNI token can breathe a little easier. Over the past month, its price has suffered a 30% drop. Even the long-awaited v4 update and the Unichain launch did not have any notable impact.

Despite the stale price movements, UNI jumped briefly after the SEC’s announcement, indicating some positive outlook. Also, the token’s daily trading volume surged over 140% today, according to CoinMarketCap data.

A New Future for Crypto Enforcement

It will be interesting to see how this development fits into a broader mosaic of federal crypto policy.

In his statement, Adams claimed that “decentralized technology and self-custody are inherently different” from TradFi and that they should be held to different regulations. This is a common refrain, and the SEC is working to receive constructive industry feedback.

To sum it up, The SEC is dropping a lot of enforcement cases made under Gary Gensler’s interpretation of the law, and Uniswap is part of that trend.

However, as the Commission changes its focus, it also puts pressure on developing this constructive new regulatory environment. Crypto has a real chance to chart its own future, but it must comply with the new rules it helps create.

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.