Crypto’s Future? 🤖💰 Payments & AI!

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Ah, 2025. A year shimmering with the promise of…cryptocurrency, naturally. According to a report – meticulously compiled, one presumes, by persons not entirely consumed by the digital ether – from Reown (in partnership with those arbiters of public whim, YouGov), the twin engines driving this burgeoning beast are, predictably, payments and artificial intelligence. One might almost suspect a spot of predetermination, a tidying of loose ends in the grand narrative of technological ‘progress’.

Over a thousand souls, bravely venturing forth from the American and British Isles, were interrogated – surveyed, if you prefer a less theatrical term – and 37% deigned to acknowledge the pivotal role of AI and payments. A rather neat figure, isn’t it? So symmetrical. One wonders if the questionnaires were designed with a certain aesthetic balance in mind. 🤔

Payments, it seems, have enjoyed a year-over-year blossoming, with a respectable 34% of respondents actually using them. One shudders to think what they’re being used for. It surpasses, rather pathetically, the arcane rituals of DeFi farming and staking, yet remains, alas, in the shadow of the purely speculative joys of trading. Trading, that exquisite dance of hope and ruin.

A full 27% foresee payments as the dominant ‘onchain experience’ within the next three to five years. A testament, perhaps, not to the inherent brilliance of the technology, but to a growing desperation for something, anything, practical. The faint scent of utility, finally breaking through the miasma of hype.

Crypto payments and AI solve different layers of the same problem

Jess Houlgrave, CEO of Reown (a name that sounds suspiciously like a botanical ailment), informs us, via the medium of CryptoMoon (a publication whose existence is, frankly, baffling), that payments and AI are merely addressing different facets of the same fundamental issue: making crypto… usable. A startling revelation. 🧐 “Distinct but complementary,” she proclaims, with the air of someone explaining the obvious to a particularly dense child. Payments provide demand, AI refines the experience. A symbiotic relationship, of sorts. Though one suspects the AI is doing most of the heavy lifting.

She further elucidates that AI is busy improving user experience and, rather crucially, developer productivity. Personalization, fraud detection, support – all being enhanced by the cold, calculating logic of machines. And for developers? Speed, auditing, automation. It’s a veritable paradise of efficiency, assuming you aren’t disturbed by the existential implications of relinquishing control to algorithms.

Apparently, payments are finally “usable.” Remarkable! They’ve evolved from “crypto demos” to “real-life infrastructure.” One can only imagine the champagne corks popping in Silicon Valley. Remittances and gig payouts, you see, are the keys to unlocking the true potential of decentralized finance. Or so they say.

Petr Kozyakov, CEO of Mercuryo, adds his own two cents (doubtlessly also in crypto) stating employees are being compensated with crypto assets. A trend, naturally, leading the recipients to frantically seek means to spend their newfound digital fortunes. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, really. 💸

Crypto trading remains “most enjoyed” onchain activity

Trading, bless its volatile heart, remains the “most enjoyed” onchain activity – a preference shared by 36% of respondents. Payments, trailing behind, manage a respectable 10%. Still, 14% anticipate payments taking the lead. A flicker of hope for a future beyond speculation.

“Onchain payments are no longer an edge case,” proclaims Houlgrave. They’re permeating the real world, powering remittances and embedded finance. A “shift” is occurring, apparently. One hopes it’s not a shift towards even more bewildering complexity. 😒

The original Bitcoin white paper, she reminds us, envisioned a peer-to-peer, electronic cash system. Global, borderless, and, crucially, trustless. A noble vision, perhaps, but one that seems increasingly distant in a world obsessed with centralized exchanges and regulatory oversight.

Survey shows stablecoins pass SOL in ownership

And now, a curious statistic. Stablecoins have surpassed Solana (SOL) in ownership, with 38% versus 37%. A triumph for the mundane over the… well, the slightly more exotic. Bitcoin (63%) and Ether (48%) still reign supreme, naturally.

The younger demographic (18-34) are particularly fond of stablecoins, with 51% embracing them. Adoption wanes considerably among the over-45s – a clear indication that wisdom and caution are, alas, not always virtues in the digital age.

“The need for embedded, multichain UX is becoming clear,” Reown pronounces. Users demand the ability to transact from wherever their assets reside. A perfectly reasonable request, one might think. A sentiment echoed, no doubt, by countless frustrated crypto enthusiasts.

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2025-07-23 15:23