Stablecoin firms bet big on AI agent payments that barely exist

(Bloomberg) — Circle Internet Group Inc. (CRCL) and Stripe Inc. (STRI.PVT) are racing to build payments systems for a world that doesn’t exist yet — one where autonomous AI agents transact millions of times a day, settling in stablecoins instead of swiping credit cards. Two weeks ago, a Citrini Research scenario imagining AI agents routing around card network fees sent Visa Inc. (V), Mastercard Inc. (MA) and American Express Co. (AXP) shares tumbling as much as 5% in a single session. The selloff faded. T ...