Can AI agents truly become independent economic actors if they cannot securely manage their own capital? This is the central question MoonPay attempts to answer with its new cross-chain infrastructure.
By providing a universal framework for AI systems to hold assets and sign transactions without human intervention, the Open Wallet Standard (OWS) aims to transform AI from a tool we use into a participant that pays.
What is OWS?
OWS is an open-source standard (licensed under MIT) that offers a unified, secure, and local-first approach for AI agents (as well as developer tools, CLIs, and scripts) to create, store, and interact with cryptocurrency wallets across multiple blockchains, ensuring that private keys are never exposed to the agent or language model.
The core problem OWS addresses is that, currently, each agent, framework, or tool often reinvents wallet and key management. This leads to scattered keys, weak security, and fragmentation. OWS standardizes the process, enabling the next generation of economic actors (autonomous agents) to hold value, sign transactions, and make payments cleanly and securely.
MoonPay markets this as the “wallet layer for the agent economy,” building on its previous work with MoonPay Agents. It is designed to allow autonomous AI systems to transact natively and securely across various chains, often using stablecoins.
If you are developing agents, creating tools, or simply want to experiment with secure multi-chain wallet management for scripts, OWS provides a clean, standardized foundation. The website includes sections for “Get Started” and specifications if you want to explore further.
ALSO READ: Will AI Agents Need Crypto Wallets?
Background
Wallets are essential for every DeFi transaction, but the fragmented standards across blockchains like Ethereum, Solana, and Bitcoin create challenges for users and developers. MoonPay’s Open Wallet Standard (OWS) is aimed at unifying this space and facilitating mass adoption.
Currently, many crypto users manage multiple wallets for different blockchains, leading to a poor user experience and limiting the growth of DeFi.
MoonPay has introduced the Open Wallet Standard (OWS), an open-source framework aimed at standardizing wallets to enable seamless multi-chain functionality, particularly for AI agents. This launch was announced by Max von Wallenberg, CEO of MoonPay’s Stablecoins division.
The development of wallet standards, like Solana’s earlier Wallet Standard, which focused on dApp connectivity, has been driven by the need to improve interoperability. However, OWS distinguishes itself by offering broader blockchain support than previous initiatives.
MoonPay’s OWS, announced via X in late 2025, advances this concept by allowing AI agents to hold assets, sign transactions, and make payments across Ethereum, Solana, and Bitcoin without exposing private keys. The involvement of industry players like PayPal, Ripple, and Circle indicates significant backing for the initiative.
Adoption statistics show promise: by 2023, the use of digital wallets reached 56% in the US, with blockchain integration increasing by 30%. As of March 2026, the total value locked (TVL) in DeFi stands above $100 billion, but user experience barriers continue to limit retail participation.
The Silent Struggle for Machine Liquidity
Until today, the process of giving an AI agent “money” was a security nightmare. Developers typically resorted to hardcoding private keys into environment variables or passing them through Large Language Model (LLM) context windows, a practice that left sensitive credentials vulnerable to logging or accidental exposure.
Furthermore, the fragmentation of the blockchain space meant that a wallet built for an agent on Ethereum was often useless if that same agent needed to settle a debt on Solana or Bitcoin.
This “siloed liquidity” prevented AI systems from efficiently purchasing the decentralized data, compute, or API services they require to function autonomously. The industry needed a standard that was both chain-agnostic and “agent-safe.”
Industry Titans Weigh in on the OWS
The launch of the Open Wallet Standard is not a solo effort by MoonPay. It arrives with the backing of a massive coalition, including PayPal, Ripple, Circle, and the Solana Foundation.
PayPal and Circle’s contributions underscore trust. Circle’s CTO noted in interviews that standardized wallets reduce friction for stablecoin ramps into DeFi. Ripple sees it as enabling cross-border flows without custody risks.
Broad Adoption as a Success Metric
Experts argue that for a standard to actually become “standard,” it requires the blessing of existing liquidity giants. PayPal’s involvement, in particular, suggests that machine-to-machine payments are moving toward the financial mainstream.
Security Concerns and the “Software-Only” Trap
While the OWS uses AES-256-GCM encryption and ensures keys never pass through the LLM, some security researchers point out that the current implementation remains software-based. Without hardware-level isolation, a privileged attacker could still theoretically scrape keys from RAM during the brief moment they are decrypted for signing.
The Chain-Agnostic Advantage
Max Crown, CEO of the TON Foundation, noted that the standard treats every network as a “first-class citizen,” which is essential for a future where AI agents must hop between chains to find the cheapest resources.
Bridging the Gap Between Code and Commerce
The OWS represents a shift in how we think about Web3 wallets. Traditionally, wallets were designed for human “point-and-click” interaction. The OWS, however, is a signing API. It sits between the AI and the blockchain, acting as a gatekeeper that enforces spending limits and policy-gated signing before a single wei is moved.
Why This Matters For Your Portfolio
The success of the agentic economy directly impacts the demand for stablecoins and network gas. If thousands of autonomous agents begin streaming micropayments for compute credits or data sets, we will likely see a significant spike in “non-human” on-chain activity. However, the primary risk lies in the complexity. If the OWS proves too difficult to integrate or if a high-profile “agent drain” occurs due to a software vulnerability, the narrative of machine-led commerce could set back several years. Currently, the standard supports eight major chain families, including EVM, Solana, Bitcoin, and XRP Ledger, making it the most comprehensive machine-wallet attempt to date.
In 2026, Exodus and MoonPay announced a partnership to introduce a fully reserved, USD-backed stablecoin. This collaboration is designed to accelerate real-world payments adoption by integrating a digital dollar directly into the Exodus Pay ecosystem. The goal is to enable users, particularly those new to crypto, to perform everyday transactions with the simplicity of familiar, traditional applications. Leveraging M0’s open infrastructure, the initiative seeks to merge self-custodial security with a smooth, user-friendly experience.
A Future Built on Machine-to-Machine Trust
The Open Wallet Standard effectively completes the “full stack” for the agent economy. We now have the payment rails (MoonPay), the communication protocols (x402), and finally, the secure vault (OWS).
Looking ahead, we should expect a surge in “AI-native” DeFi protocols; platforms specifically designed to be used by code, not people. Within the next year, your next trade might not be executed by you, but by an agent you’ve authorized through an OWS-compatible vault.
Will we look back at 2026 as the year the “Machine Economy” finally got its wallet, or will the risks of autonomous signing prove too great for institutional trust?
Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein should be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading or investing in cryptocurrencies carries a considerable risk of financial loss. Always conduct due diligence.
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