# The Web3 + AI Daily #67 *Daily insights into the fascinating convergence of crypto and AI.* By [The Web3 + AI Newsletter](https://web3plusai.xyz) · 2026-05-18 web3plusai, web3ai, albena, agenticeconomy --- **What's Hot in Web3 + AI?** ---------------------------- ### **AWS Enters the Agentic Payments Race** [**Amazon Web Services (AWS)**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/amazon-web-services/) has launched a new system called **Amazon Bedrock AgentCore Payments**, designed to let AI agents autonomously make and receive payments using stablecoins. The platform was developed with [**Coinbase**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/coinbase/) and [**Stripe**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/stripe/), and is one of the first end-to-end payment infrastructures built specifically for machine-to-machine commerce. > There are now a few protocols for agentic payments including [**Google**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/google/)’s [**AP2**](https://www.ledgerinsights.com/google-launches-open-protocol-for-ai-agent-payments/), [**Tempo**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/tempo/)’s [**MPP**](https://www.ledgerinsights.com/stripe-paradigm-launch-tempo-blockchain-alongside-machine-payments-standard/) and [**Coinbase**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/coinbase/)’s [**x402,**](https://www.ledgerinsights.com/coinbase-unveils-x402-protocol-for-ai-stablecoin-payments/) which is the only one supported by AgentCore payments at preview launch, although it plans to add more. In fact that’s one of the key points. AgentCore treats these protocols as relatively low level and developers don’t need to know how they work. The system enables AI agents to pay for APIs, web content, cloud services, and even other AI agents through micropayments, including transactions worth fractions of a cent. The move by AWS confirms that stablecoins are increasingly viewed as a practical payment layer for AI-driven internet activity because they are programmable, global, and available continuously. This initiative positions AWS as a serious contender within the broader industry race to build standards for “agentic payments.” The larger trend is the development of an “agentic web,” where AI systems independently purchase services, negotiate access to resources, and exchange value without direct human intervention. [ AWS unveils AI agent payments based on stablecoins - Ledger Insights - blockchain for enterprise ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Amazon Web Services (AWS) has introduced one of the first end-to-end payment systems for AI agents, built in collaboration with Coinbase and Stripe. The https://www.ledgerinsights.com ![AWS unveils AI agent payments based on stablecoins - Ledger Insights - blockchain for enterprise](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/9de32e74143d445849017552f18ba3e1cb00ce98814fa70a5a1fbdccd451616d.jpg) ](https://www.ledgerinsights.com/aws-unveils-ai-agent-payments-based-on-stablecoins/) * * * ### **K Wave Media Moves $485M from Bitcoin to AI** The [**Nasdaq**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/nasdaq/)\-listed K Wave Media has announced that it abandoned its previously announced bitcoin treasury strategy and is redirecting up to $485M toward artificial intelligence infrastructure investments instead. > The company had originally raised as much as $500M through a financing agreement with [**Anson Funds**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/anson-group-of-funds/) in 2025 to build a large corporate bitcoin reserve, following the trend popularized by firms accumulating BTC on their balance sheets. K Wave is now repositioning itself as an AI infrastructure company, focusing on data centers, GPU computing, AI rental operations, and related acquisitions or partnerships. As part of the pivot, the company plans to sell off its media subsidiary Play Co., a move expected to eliminate roughly $48M in debt and liabilities, giving it more flexibility to invest in AI-related expansion. The firm also intends to rebrand as Talivar Technologies. This shift highlights how public companies are increasingly reshaping their identities around whichever sector is attracting the strongest capital market interest, moving from crypto-focused narratives to AI-driven ones. [ K Wave Media Secures $485M to Launch AI Infrastructure Platform and Eliminates $48M in Debt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This substantially de-leverages the balance sheet with minimal remaining liabilities... https://www.globenewswire.com ](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/04/3286594/0/en/k-wave-media-secures-485m-to-launch-ai-infrastructure-platform-and-eliminates-48m-in-debt.html) * * * **Web3 + AI Readings & Conversations** -------------------------------------- ### **Is Phone Number-Based Digital Identity the Key to Agentic Commerce?** As you know, I'll be travelling to Porto this week for [**CODA 2026 | Conference On Digital Assets**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/coda-events/), where I'll be moderating the Web3 + AI panel. As I was preparing for the event, I came across [**Roberto Cassa**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberto-cassa?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAEF5dzQBpUaDtMCUYHBc3cmx8mYJIu1Gs3Q)'s interview with one of my fellow panellists, and thought it was important to share it with you. [**David Palmer**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAADJX7TsBRp98iDUQtOWcagaRo_7Qdz9o0lY?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAADJX7TsBRp98iDUQtOWcagaRo_7Qdz9o0lY) is the Chief Product Officer of [**Pairpoint**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pairpoint/) by [**Vodafone**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/vodafone/), where he's building the secure and temper-proof infrastructure to power the intelligent and trusted Internet of Things. One of the main problems David and his team are trying to solve is how to provide every connected device - from smartphones to autonomous vehicles - **with a secure and verifiable digital identity.** We've discussed the matter of digital identity on numerous occasions here, because it's a foundational question that has serious implications across payments, privacy, and security. There are various methods to guarantee the verifiability and Sybil resistance of a digital identity solutions currently in production - some like [**World**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/worldofficial/) use biometric data, others like [**Aztec**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/aztec-protocol/) rely on tradition government-issued identity documents. Pairpoint is seemingly employing the most pragmatic approach of them all by leveraging the phone number. > Pairpoint is equipping IoT devices with a cryptographic identity anchored in the sim card, and thus offering verifiable digital credentials, automatically readable by machines. Why is that important? 1. The phone number is already a verifiable credential that's actively being used by the majority of the global payment operators. In an era, when merchants would inevitably struggle to trust AI agents, identifying them through their owner's phone number could present a major unlock - the infrastructure to authenticate payments via a text message is already there. 2. With the stellar development and growth of AI, LLMs will soon run out of adequate data, which will prevent them from accumulating specialized knowledge. The only solution, according to David, will be sourcing data from IoT devices. If machine-to-machine trust is established through a secure digital identity method, agents will be able to autonomously communicate with, let's say a sensor, negotiate the price, and pay for the data they need. I recommend you listen to the full conversation. And if you're in Porto on May 20th and 21st, don't hesitate to reach out and say 'Hi'. [![](https://paragraph.com/editor/youtube/play.png)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DarfezqrG-o) * * * **The Web3 + AI Book Club** --------------------------- ### **New Book of the Month: 'The AI Con'** Last week, I held a survey, both here and on [**Fable**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/fablegroup/), to determine which book we were going to read next in my [**Web3 + AI Book Club**](https://fable.co/club/the-web3-ai-book-club-with-albena-417116729458?club_type=free). The votes were overwhelmingly in favor of **'The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want'** by [**Emily M. Bender**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebender?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAACEdLsBcH7__-6SkscREKzDVE8q1rRwP04) and [**Alex Hanna, Ph.D.**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-hanna-ph-d?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAABk4tqMBFzH_psqgYSzevVHVumxFTAE3OoI). [ THE AI CON ---------- How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want https://thecon.ai ![THE AI CON](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/70b99e537291c25b8a9f76d95ba72961b863462fdf6a68f1f8430d477ae2ce3d.png) ](https://thecon.ai/) I invite you to join our litterary society on [**Fable**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/fablegroup/), where we explore books that tackle the big, essential questions about AI, Web3, and emerging technologies. **Come read 'The AI Con' with us** [**here**](https://fable.co/club/the-web3-ai-book-club-with-albena-417116729458?club_type=free)**.** I have also recently published my review of the previous title we examined - 'The New Age of Sexism' by [**Laura Bates**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAEvR6b8BUReXow-q_xzn_BYvIZPg-5xHwcY?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAEvR6b8BUReXow-q_xzn_BYvIZPg-5xHwcY). You can find my thoughts below, I'd be curious to hear yours, too. ![The Web3 + AI Book Club: 'The New Age of Sexism'](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/b2bc8b5cc10aae35c8ead31ca6c7db7865e5acbeaa1ae7da28eb2a60c8e7d768.jpg) [ ### The Web3 + AI Book Club: 'The New Age of Sexism' ](https://web3plusai.xyz/web3-ai-book-club-3) ![The Web3 + AI Newsletter](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/ed199407d3a73ccfdd9ab4fd32f0846d0b841ee579c319372d816a340c970cb5.jpg)The Web3 + AI Newsletter May 11, 2026 Find my review of the book 'The New Age of Sexism' by Laura Bates. I also invite you to join The Web3 + AI Book Club and to select our next monthly title! 0 collected [Collect](/@web3plusai/nft/gijUfV7VwSGf7fPa58pO) * * * > **Thank you for reading! If you haven't done so yet, I invite you to subscribe to stay in the loop on the hottest dAI developments.** [Subscribe](https://web3plusai.xyz/subscribe) > **The Web3 + AI Book Club is live on Fable! Follow the link below to join and read with us.** [The Web3 + AI Book Club](https://fable.co/club/the-web3-ai-book-club-with-albena-417116729458?club_type=free) > **If you want to support the publication financially, you can purchase my writer token $WEB3AI, or my** [**creator token $ALBENA on**](https://zora.co/@albena) [**ZORA**](https://zora.co/@albena)**.** [$WEB3AI](https://web3plusai.xyz/coin) > **I'm looking forward to connecting with fellow Crypto x AI enthusiasts, so don't hesitate to reach out on social media.** [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/albena-kostova-nikolova/) [Firefly.Social](https://firefly.social/profile/farcaster/albena) [Zora](https://zora.co/@albena) * * * **Disclaimer:** None of this should or could be considered financial advice. You should not take my words for granted; rather, do your own research (DYOR) and share your thoughts to encourage a fruitful discussion. --- *Originally published on [The Web3 + AI Newsletter](https://web3plusai.xyz/daily_67)*