Moonbeam to pivot from Polkadot to Base, unveils AI agent framework

Polkadot-based interoperability protocol Moonbeam said it is pivoting to Ethereum layer 2 Base to launch an AI agent communication and settlement network, aimed at capturing a share of the emerging AI agent economy.

“This is a pivot to the most exciting frontier in crypto: autonomous AI agents that find each other, negotiate work, and pay each other entirely on-chain, without a middleman,” it said in a statement announcing the Moonbeam Protocol on Friday. 

“We believe AI-native on-chain coordination represents a significant long-term opportunity. This transition allows us to focus resources around that direction,” Moonbeam added.

Moonbeam did not provide a launch timeline for the Moonbeam Protocol.

Agentic AI has gained traction in the crypto industry, with Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire among the executives predicting that AI agents will become the dominant users of blockchain-based payments in the coming years.

Coinbase’s x402 payments protocol has been one of the drivers behind that push, while layer-1 blockchains Aptos and Near have also rolled out infrastructure to support agent-driven onchain activity.

Adoption in the blockchain-based payments space has struggled to take off, however, with data from Artemis showing that only $2 million in transaction volume has been facilitated through the x402 protocol over the past 30 days. 

AI agent development is progressing slowly in Big Tech too, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stating on Thursday that the technology hasn’t accelerated the firm’s workflows as quickly as expected.

Moonbeam pivot seen as blow to Polkadot

Some members of the crypto community said Moonbeam's pivot marked a major setback for the Polkadot ecosystem, with one X user calling Moonbeam Polkadot's "flagship project." 

“That’s a real pain in the ass for Polkadot,” another X user said.

Moonbeam launched as a Polkadot parachain in January 2022, providing developers the ability to build Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible applications directly in the Polkadot ecosystem.

Moonbeam users told to migrate tokens

Moonbeam (GLMR) holders will need to bridge their tokens from Moonbeam’s Polkadot parachain to Base before July 31, 2026, including GLMR tied in lending markets, staking contracts and other decentralized finance protocols, Moonbeam said.

Related: Why a ‘safe’ AI can turn dangerous in the wrong company 

Those holding the token on a centralized exchange won't need to take any action, Moonbeam said.

Moonbeam said it will continue providing its cross-chain interoperability services on the Polkadot parachain through the transition period and is not abandoning its existing builders or infrastructure providers.

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