BlackRock says AI agents could boost demand for digital assets because they need machine-ready payment systems. Meta and PayPal announced users will be able to shop through Muse across PayPal’s worldwide merchant network, but didn’t say checkout would use PYUSD.
In its September report The Machine-Native Economy, BlackRock said stablecoins, native cryptocurrencies and other onchain assets could handle payments and settlement as AI agents transact. It said card networks and ACH support automation but may be less suited to always-on, low-value programmable transactions. BlackRock also cited Bitcoin Policy Institute simulations in which AI models generally favored stablecoins for everyday payments and Bitcoin for long-term value preservation, while cautioning that simulated responses do not establish actual agent behavior.
Muse launched Sept. 8 and can book travel, fill forms and make purchases after user approval. PayPal’s dollar-backed PYUSD stablecoin became available in 70 markets in March; the companies have not said it will be used in Muse checkout, and the announcement confirms PayPal checkout integration only.
