Erik Reppel, who leads Coinbase’s software and engineering teams, argues that the structure of the online economy could be fundamentally transformed through artificial intelligence and automation. Speaking at Consensus Miami 2026, Reppel emphasized that AI-powered software could have a profound impact on the classic advertising model that dominates the internet today.
The rise of AI and its effect on the web economy
Reppel noted that in recent years, human-machine interaction has advanced to the point where software now increasingly communicates directly with other software. This evolution, he explained, is turning the original foundations of the web on their head, since most sites currently rely heavily on ad-based income. However, Reppel pointed out that AI systems systematically ignore online ads, creating a scenario in which traditional revenue streams are threatened and likely to shift in new directions.
“The internet was designed for people. Yet now, both humans and computers are active on the web, with computers accessing other computers directly. In this new order, we’re living in a world where software simply skips past advertisements,” Reppel reflected.
He predicts that the proliferation of autonomous software will carry significant implications for the internet’s business models. As AI agents access services without regard for advertisements, website operators will be forced to seek new revenue options. At the forefront of potential solutions, Reppel highlights stablecoin-based micro-payments as a promising path forward.
Stablecoin-powered micro-payments as a solution
According to Reppel, in scenarios where an AI agent interacts with a website, the site might charge a small fee for access—a new model for generating income online. He describes it this way: “When a person visits your site, you show an ad. But when an agent comes, you simply charge them five cents.” These quick, low-cost payments could easily be facilitated through stablecoin-based payment rails.
Reppel’s x402 open payments protocol was developed exactly with this vision in mind. It’s built on the largely unused HTTP 402 “Payment Required” status code, allowing for seamless, direct cryptocurrency transactions within automated systems and APIs. This infrastructure supports autonomous AI systems in making small, instant payments for content and digital services, bypassing the inefficiencies of legacy ad models.
New economic potential for the crypto sector
Reppel believes this shift carries massive economic potential. He estimates that the so-called “agent economy” could grow to represent a market worth between $3 trillion and $5 trillion within just four years.
Such a transformation could establish stablecoins and blockchain-based payments as the core foundation of commerce in an AI-driven digital marketplace. The expectation is that blockchain-powered systems will soon take center stage in the internet’s next economic era.
Reppel added, “Agents have really become the browsers of the future,” emphasizing the potential for artificial intelligence to be the driving force in how the web evolves.
