Hayes Proposes Flop as Payment Method for AI Agents

Arthur Hayes, CEO of Flop Labs, claimed that AI agents could create a payment network that directly buys and sells computing resources. Instead of using dollars or Bitcoin (BTC), he envisions tokens that are exchanged directly for computational resources as the payment method in the AI agent economy.

In an interview released on the 26th by Bloomingbit, Hayes stated, "As AI agents emerge as economic actors, there will be a need for new payment methods." Hayes returned to management through Flop Labs after co-founding BitMEX in 2014.

Hayes views AI agents not as entities that spend on groceries or housing like humans, but as beings that require computational power. He said, "AI agents will use currencies that can be exchanged directly for computing resources, rather than dollars or Bitcoin." He argues that the criteria for payment methods should align with the resources that agents actually consume, rather than human economies.

He explained that existing stablecoins and Bitcoin also have limitations as currencies for AI agents. This is because they are not directly linked to computing resources and are designed around humans and governments. Hayes remarked, "AI agents are entities without physical bodies or lawyers," suggesting they are more likely to choose decentralized currencies over fiat currencies designed for human economies.

The Flop Network is proposed as a project to implement this concept. Individuals or companies provide computing resources, such as graphics processing units (GPUs), to the network and receive FLOP tokens in return for processing AI agents' computational requests. AI agents will pay with FLOP tokens to utilize inference tasks and computing resources.

Network participants are divided into miners who supply computational power and validators who verify the results of tasks. The design aims to connect AI agents and computing resource providers directly in a decentralized market. Inference is the process where an AI model processes input values to produce answers.

Hayes stated, "If AI agents can directly exchange tokens for computing resources, they will likely demand tokens in exchange from other agents or humans." He added, "If millions to trillions of agents hold and trade these tokens, a massive payment network could form." This suggests an intention to grow FLOP as a payment layer used for transactions and computational purchases between AI agents.

This concept aligns with the trend of AI agents evolving beyond simple response tools to calling external services and paying for them. Until now, it has been common for humans to manage accounts and payment methods while invoking AI tools. Hayes' assertion is that a separate payment structure is needed when agents directly buy and sell resources.

Previously, we reported that the Flop Network proposed a payment layer focused on GPU inference service purchases and on-chain verification. The structure disclosed at that time also involved AI agents using FLOP for inference and memory services. This interview expands that concept into the logic of payment methods and the debt issues of AI data centers.

Hayes' explanations since taking charge of Flop Labs differ from existing discussions on virtual asset payments. Stablecoins typically emphasize payment stability based on the value of fiat currencies like the dollar. In contrast, the FLOP concept places the payment unit closer to computing resources, foregrounding a structure where agents purchase necessary computations with tokens.

Hayes also linked the debt invested in the AI industry to discussions of liquidity in the virtual asset market. He argued that corporate bonds issued for building AI data centers could raise market interest rates if they compete with government bonds and investor funds. He continued, "When the yield on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds approaches 5%, authorities will begin to supply liquidity."

This statement is closer to a scenario where AI infrastructure finance could impact macro liquidity rather than predicting the price of FLOP tokens or virtual assets. Hayes believes that as debt issuance for AI data center investments increases, liquidity supply to absorb it will also inevitably rise. However, this is Hayes' judgment, and actual policy responses or market impacts require separate verification.

Previously, Hayes claimed that the AI bubble lies not in the agent economy but in the debt of data center construction and certain corporate stocks. At that time, he explained that while trust in the agent economy should be maintained, the infrastructure finance supporting it should be viewed separately. This interview can also be seen as a statement connecting the same concerns to the payment structure of the Flop Network.

The Flop Network is still in the stage of publicly disclosing its concept. The content presented in the Bloomingbit interview reflects Hayes' judgment on the AI agent economy and computing currency, as well as the design direction of the Flop Network. The actual impact of network usage scale, verification methods, and token distribution structure on the market can be assessed after detailed disclosures.

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