Ethereum has introduced a new technical standard, ERC-8004, designed to help AI agents operate on the blockchain. Developed with support from the Ethereum Foundation, MetaMask, Google, and Coinbase, the standard allows AI agents to build on-chain identity, reputation, and verified work histories. The Layer-2 network Base has become the first to adopt the standard, positioning Ethereum as a foundational platform for an open AI agent economy.
Ethereum signaled a major step toward AI-focused infrastructure, positioning its network as a home for AI agents. The network highlighted ERC-8004, a newly proposed standard developed with the Ethereum Foundation’s dAI Team alongside major contributors including MetaMask, Google, and Coinbase.
The aim is to give AI agents a common system where they can identify themselves and trade without being locked into closed platforms. Before this standard, an agent’s performance and reputation were typically confined to its original platform.
Fundamental to ERC-8004 are three on-chain registries that establish trust: identity, reputation, and validation. These registries allow agents to be discovered globally, have their history reviewed, be assigned tasks, and have their work verified before payment.
Base showcased ERC-8004, noting it is the first Layer-2 network to support the standard since its mainnet launch. Base described the chain as a “public registry where anyone can read or write agent data,” making agents visible across platforms.
This addresses a key problem where an agent’s reputation is often reset when moving to a new marketplace. The standard makes trust both neutral and portable, allowing platforms to focus on user experience without locking in data.
