A $1.78 trillion asset manager forecasts AI-driven autonomous commerce could reach $3 trillion to $5 trillion by 2030, reshaping markets.
A senior executive at Franklin Templeton, which oversees $1.78 trillion in assets, argues that agentic AI—not generative AI—will drive mainstream blockchain adoption. Sandy Kaul, Head of Digital Assets and Innovation, highlights the shift toward autonomous systems capable of executing multi-step transactions without human intervention.
Kaul cites estimates that agentic commerce could reach $3 trillion to $5 trillion by 2030. The trend reflects broader spending shifts, as seen in IBM’s 25.2% stock drop after customers redirected funds from traditional software to AI infrastructure.
The executive’s comments underscore growing investor focus on AI’s role in reshaping payment systems and transaction flows, with blockchain positioned as a critical enabler.