The new product, announced on February 11, 2026, represents the first wallet system specifically created for AI agents, rather than human users, as described by Coinbase. Agentic wallets are intended to allow agents to spend, earn, and trade without requiring manual approval for each transaction.
According to the launch document, AI agents today can recommend actions but cannot independently carry out finance-related transactions. Agentic wallets are designed to overcome this limitation by providing agents with programmable financial capabilities.
The infrastructure includes built-in 'agent skills' that abstract blockchain functions such as authentication, top-ups, sending, trading, and earning into plug-and-play modules. Developers can integrate these capabilities without needing to create transaction logic from scratch.
At the core of the system is the x402 protocol, a payment standard designed for transactions between machines. Coinbase claims that the protocol has processed over 50 million transactions and supports automated API payments and programmatic access to digital assets.
Agentic wallets also offer gasless trading on Base, allowing agents to operate continuously without interruptions due to lack of network fees. The setup process can be completed in two minutes via the command line interface.
Security measures are built into the design. Programmable protective mechanisms include session limits, transaction constraints, and enclave isolation, with private keys maintained in Coinbase's infrastructure. The system also includes transaction verification and compliance monitoring through the Coinbase Developer Platform portal.
The company outlined several use cases, including autonomous DeFi management across EVM and Solana chains, machine-to-machine commerce, automated API payments, and agents monetizing generated content. The architecture is organized to support non-custodial wallets secured in Trusted Execution Environments while providing enterprise-level monitoring and management.
The development emerged as Openclaw, previously known as Moltbot and Clawdbot, attracted significant attention over the past week, generating buzz around AI agents. Additionally, during the Super Bowl, ai.com aired an advertisement inviting viewers to sign up for its agent platform. The domain cost Chris Marszalek, CEO of Crypto.com, $70 million in cryptocurrency to secure the acquisition.
As demand for agents and bots accelerates, Coinbase positions itself to streamline agent payments.
