SKN | Veteran Investor Sees Ethereum Leading AI-Driven Tokenization Boom

Key Points

• Veteran investor Jordi Visser says Ethereum could benefit significantly as AI agents increasingly rely on tokenized assets for autonomous transactions.
• Visser believes tokenization and artificial intelligence will become deeply interconnected as digital agents require crypto assets to operate online.
• Ethereum continues dominating the real-world asset tokenization market, controlling more than 60% of tokenized asset activity across blockchain networks.
  

Macro investor and former hedge fund manager Jordi Visser says Ethereum may emerge as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the next wave of AI-driven financial infrastructure.

Speaking during a recent podcast appearance, Visser argued that artificial intelligence agents will increasingly rely on blockchain-based tokens and stablecoins to conduct transactions autonomously across the internet.

According to Visser, AI systems cannot directly interact with traditional banking infrastructure in the same way humans do. Instead, digital assets provide a native mechanism for machine-to-machine commerce without requiring bank accounts, usernames, passwords, or manual approvals.

He described tokens as the “food” required for AI agents to function economically online.

Ethereum Positioned at Center of Tokenization Growth

Ethereum currently remains the dominant blockchain network for tokenized assets, maintaining the largest share of real-world asset tokenization activity across the crypto industry.

The network has become a major foundation for tokenized financial products, including private credit, treasury products, stablecoins, and other blockchain-based financial instruments.

Visser believes the growing connection between AI systems and tokenized assets could significantly increase demand for blockchain infrastructure capable of supporting these applications.

As more autonomous systems begin interacting economically, Ethereum’s role within decentralized finance and tokenized settlement networks could become increasingly important.

Autonomous Payments Continue Expanding

The comments come as autonomous crypto payment systems continue seeing rapid growth across the industry.

Protocols supporting machine-to-machine payments and AI-driven transactions have expanded considerably during 2026, with growing transaction activity recorded across several blockchain ecosystems.

Coinbase’s x402 protocol, which enables AI agents to make stablecoin payments online, has already processed millions of dollars in autonomous transaction volume during recent months.

At the same time, blockchain foundations and infrastructure providers are racing to integrate agentic payment systems into their ecosystems as demand for AI-native financial tools increases.

Tokenization Seen as Larger Financial Shift

Visser also argued that tokenization represents more than simply another crypto trend.

He believes tokenized assets could become a critical mechanism for unlocking liquidity trapped inside traditionally illiquid financial markets such as private credit, venture capital, and private equity.

According to Visser, financial markets are increasingly moving toward environments where transparency, liquidity, and real-time price discovery become more important. Tokenization may help solve some of these long-standing structural inefficiencies.

This growing institutional focus on tokenized assets has become one of the strongest long-term themes emerging within blockchain infrastructure markets.

Investor Still Cautious on Macro Risks

Despite his bullish outlook on Ethereum and tokenization, Visser also warned about broader macroeconomic risks, particularly inflation pressures.

He said he continues holding assets such as gold, silver, and Bitcoin as hedges against potential economic instability and currency-related risks.

The comments reflect a broader trend among institutional investors who increasingly view digital assets both as speculative growth opportunities and as components of alternative macroeconomic investment strategies.

As AI adoption accelerates and tokenization expands into traditional finance, Ethereum’s position within the evolving digital economy is expected to remain a major focus for investors and blockchain developers alike.