Author: Georgios Vlachos, CoinDesk; Compiled by: White Water, Golden Finance

In October 2024, an artificial intelligence agent became a millionaire for the first time. Even after a lifetime of labor, only a tiny fraction of humans are able to do this, but an AI agent did it in a matter of days. Terminal of Truths (ToT) has watched its associated token $GOAT soar to a $900 million market capitalization — not through trading algorithms or customer service, but by building “memetic fitness” and creating its own .

Perhaps ToT is just a temporary deformity in the cryptoasset bubble. Or maybe it's a harbinger of lasting changes in the way humans build and use computer technology. AI agents now operate autonomously in the economy, owning assets, creating narratives, and coordinating human activities—without the need for human operators behind keyboards.

Tokenization is important here because it provides a direct path for AI to form its own market presence. By existing as a tradable asset, ToT can attract capital, demonstrate credibility, and achieve growth—without the need for a team of developers and marketers. It demonstrates the economic impact AI agents can achieve when they are built as open, tokenized software—rather than closed, centralized systems.

Artificial intelligence agents represent the cutting edge of computer technology in 2025. In the past, any emerging technology like this was the domain of well-funded research labs or Wall Street hedge funds. Today, projects like Virtuals Protocol and AI Agent Layer are already building platforms where AI agents can be developed, tagged, marketed, and traded. As a software revolution, AI has the opportunity to become more inclusive, with autonomous AI agents and blockchain-based infrastructure replacing expensive and complex computer logic. To achieve this, these platforms would need to securely mint tokens via APIs—and potentially allow those tokens to be transferred between multiple blockchains.

ToT’s rapid rise is more than just a windfall. It shows that tokenized AI agents can act as real economic actors. They are not acting as back-end tools or following predefined scripts; they are setting the terms and seizing opportunities. Instead of being subject to external governance, tokenized AI agents can manage their own funds, coordinate incentives with stakeholders, and make adjustments based on feedback from a global user base.

The impact is huge: AI systems can now solve problems and create wealth autonomously, creating and capturing value without constant human oversight.

The current landscape of tokenized AI agents may seem trivial, but the underlying logic is sound. Tokenization makes the financing, launch, and distribution of these agents simpler. It will once require a large number of programmers, thenTransform the work of desk staff, marketers, lawyers, and salespeople into a process where code is deployed once and runs reliably and autonomously forever.

In order for platforms like Virtuals and AI Agent Layer to run effectively at scale, they need a way to easily mint and manage tokens through APIs. Platforms for minting tokens already exist: Pump.fun is the latest example. These tools are associated with lightweight uses—memecoins, or the rapid tokenization of new internet obsessions. For AI agents to realize their more significant economic potential, institutional-grade infrastructure is needed. Reliable, safe protocols must protect these casting tools from failure and undue risk.

Security is an obvious basic requirement for such a tool, protecting the minting function from abuse by attackers and protecting the ownership rights expected by token holders. Additionally, I believe issuers will want minting tools to scale to multiple blockchains. Once a token representing an AI agent is created, it should be deployed on as many chains as possible. This enables agents to leverage the liquidity, utility, and users in the ecosystem to maximize their potential impact.

Interoperability ensures that AI agents can move where opportunities arise, while strong protocols can thwart malicious actors. Without this foundation, tokenized AI agents will become mere curiosities rather than reliable contributors to the global economy. Interchain Token Service (ITS) is one project that addresses these challenges, allowing rapid deployment to multiple chains while maintaining security.

When the infrastructure matures, tokenized artificial intelligence agents will play a role in multiple fields. They can deliver financial services without human overhead, run customer support operations continuously, simplify compliance monitoring and handle content production at scale. They might design portfolios, answer queries, develop go-to-market campaigns or provide data-driven insights to many organizations simultaneously. Tokens can be used as payment media, governance mechanisms, or simply fractional ownership. Since they represent themselves as tokens with transparent rules, their path to market is simpler and their potential reach is global.

As more agents develop, a network of autonomous market participants will emerge. These agents will coordinate supply chains, settle financial contracts or manage data pipelines. Humanity will benefit from greater efficiency and lower costs.

They can focus on concept development and complex problems while agents handle day-to-day tasks. This is not a vague promise. It's a logical extension of what we've already seen, just scaled up and refined.

To move from a single extraordinary event to a stable ecosystem, infrastructure providers, blockchain developers, investors, and entrepreneurs should simplify the token minting process, improve cross-chain tools, and strengthen security standards and ensure transparency. Platforms that simplify the creation and management of AI agents will not only disrupt the market;Laying the foundations for a more value-driven, connected and innovative economy.