Catenaa, Thursday, March 26, 2026- MoonPay has released the Open Wallet Standard (OWS), an open‑source framework that allows autonomous AI systems to hold assets, sign transactions, and pay for services across multiple blockchains without exposing private keys. The standard is aimed at creating a universal wallet layer for AI agents and is already backed by firms including PayPal, Ripple, Circle, the Solana Foundation, and the TON Foundation.
OWS expands on MoonPay’s February 2026 launch of MoonPay Agents, a non‑custodial platform enabling AI-driven wallets to execute trades, fund accounts, and off‑ramp crypto autonomously. Unlike MoonPay Agents, OWS is a shared industry specification intended for integration with multiple protocols. Developers can adopt OWS to provide cross‑chain wallet functionality in a secure, standardized manner. The standard covers Ethereum-compatible chains, Solana, Bitcoin, TON, Tron, Sui, Cosmos, and other major ecosystems.
OWS encrypts private keys, only decrypting them briefly in memory during signing to reduce attack risk. It provides least‑privilege permissions, address whitelists, spending limits, and reference implementations to ensure developer adoption is secure and efficient.
Context
The standard addresses fragmentation in AI-driven financial operations. Previously, teams had to build custom wallet logic for each blockchain, creating security risks and operational inefficiencies. OWS functions as a universal wallet layer, letting AI agents transact across chains using the same secure interface. MoonPay describes this as foundational for the emerging “agent economy,” where AI systems handle micro-payments, API access fees, and compute payments autonomously.
Implications
Adoption of OWS could accelerate AI‑enabled finance by reducing the need for bespoke wallet solutions, enabling rapid experimentation with cross-chain micro-payments, autonomous treasury management, and AI-driven trading. Standardized wallets may also facilitate regulatory compliance and auditing due to clear key management and transaction protocols.
Expert Views
Industry participants describe OWS as a major step in bridging AI and blockchain infrastructure. The backing from established firms signals growing recognition that AI-native wallets are critical for future digital asset ecosystems. Analysts suggest it could encourage broader participation in AI-driven finance while setting technical standards for secure key handling.
Background
MoonPay, founded in 2019, began as a crypto on-ramp platform and expanded into wallet services, NFT checkout, and AI-driven finance. MoonPay Agents allowed AI systems to autonomously access wallets and payment rails. OWS builds on this by creating an open-source, cross-chain wallet standard. Its adoption by major institutions indicates increasing industry support for AI-native financial infrastructure.
