Sharplink CEO Joseph Chalom estimates that artificial intelligence agents will wipe out nearly 25% of global finance fees by the year 2035.
According to modeling by his team, this shift will save investors $1.4 trillion annually. Chalom, formerly an executive at BlackRock, detailed this projection in a Wednesday post on X.
A $4 Trillion Prize and a $180 Billion Blind Spot
By analyzing 10 financial sectors through 2035, Chalom’s team projected that more than $1 trillion in yearly financial services revenue will be available to claim by 2030. Furthermore, Chalom anticipates this amount will escalate to $4 trillion per year by 2035.
The projection relies on the assumption that AI agents will drive financial providers into sharper competition regarding fees. As a result, consumers are expected to retain an additional $350 billion annually by 2030, with that sum eventually expanding to $1.4 trillion.
Additionally, Chalom highlights approximately $15 trillion held by US households in short-term deposits, savings accounts, and checking accounts. Because much of this capital earns returns far below money-market rates, he notes that savers lose at least $180 billion every year.
“Over $1 trillion of annual global financial services revenue is going to be up for grabs by 2030, growing to $4 trillion annually by 2035. Every major bank, broker, payments firm, and digital assets company is racing to capture a share in one of the most important battles over money and value we will see in our time,” he said.
Visa, Coinbase, and Circle Race for the Agent’s Wallet
The race to control these AI agents is already underway, according to Chalom. He highlights companies such as Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, PayPal, Circle, Tether, Robinhood, Coinbase, and Binance as key participants in the competition.
He believes whoever emerges victorious will ultimately control which financial products agents recommend and where uninvested cash is automatically routed.
“Whoever owns the infrastructure, owns the agent, and therefore the customer,” Chalom added.
A research paper published by BlackRock this week shares a similar perspective, identifying stablecoins as the top choice for agent-driven payments.
Chalom contends that transactions executed by agents will mostly take place wherever DeFi liquidity, tokenized assets, and stablecoins are concentrated—much of which currently resides within the Ethereum (ETH) ecosystem. To illustrate the network’s expanding usage, he notes that Ethereum achieved a record 3.6 million daily transactions in April.
This market outlook mirrors Sharplink’s own financial holdings. Data from the company’s dashboard shows it held 891,714 ETH as of September 14.
Conversely, Fidelity Digital Assets presented a more conservative outlook in August. Max Wadington, a senior research analyst at the firm, cautioned that fintech and technology giants might instead trap agent activity inside their own closed systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Sharplink expect AI agents to eliminate 25% of finance fees?
Sharplink CEO Joseph Chalom projects that this reduction will happen by 2035.
How much money are investors expected to save annually according to the model?
The model estimates investor savings will reach $1.4 trillion a year.
Which cryptocurrency network does Chalom highlight as a hub for agent transactions?
Chalom points to the Ethereum (ETH) ecosystem, noting its high concentration of stablecoins, tokenized assets, and DeFi liquidity alongside a record 3.6 million daily transactions in April.
What alternative view did Fidelity Digital Assets share regarding AI agents?
In August, Fidelity senior research analyst Max Wadington warned that proprietary closed systems operated by tech and fintech corporations could capture agent activity instead.
