Circle CEO Says USDC Handles Over 99% of Payments on AI Agent Protocols

USDC is gaining traction as a settlement asset for autonomous AI transactions, with Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire saying the stablecoin accounts for more than 99% of payments conducted through AI agent payment protocols.

Allaire, speaking during a live earnings AMA, identified the payment requirements of cloud-based AI agents as a natural fit for stablecoin infrastructure. Such agents need a reliable, widely accepted unit of account, along with fast, deterministic settlement at ultra-low cost, he said.

Beyond AI-driven transactions, Allaire reported strong growth in USDC applications spanning cross-border settlement, capital markets and retail payments.

Allaire said the retail segment is also moving away from offline settlement toward instant-payment infrastructure, including QR-code payment methods.

Source: Circle Q2 2026 Earnings AMA