MetaMask introduces agent wallet allowing AI-driven autonomous crypto trading with human controls

MetaMask has launched a self-custodial Agent Wallet that enables AI systems to trade crypto autonomously within predefined rules, marking a significant step in decentralised finance automation while maintaining user safety.

MetaMask has begun rolling out an Agent Wallet that lets AI systems trade crypto on their own, while still keeping users in control of the rules. According to MetaMask, the wallet is self-custodial and is designed for agent-driven activity across decentralised finance, with support for token swaps, perpetual futures, prediction markets and liquidity provision on Ethereum-compatible blockchains and Hyperliquid. The company says the product is meant to let software act on behalf of a user, but only within pre-set limits.

The security model is built around a series of checks before a trade is completed. MetaMask says every agent-initiated transaction is simulated and scanned for threats in real time, with spending limits, allowlists, MEV protection and two-factor approval available where needed. The company also describes two operating settings: “Guard Mode”, which applies tighter controls, and “Beast Mode”, which reduces prompts but still stops suspicious activity for human approval. MetaMask has presented the wallet as a self-custodial product, meaning users retain direct control of their assets rather than handing them to a third party.

The Agent Wallet is being offered first through a limited early-access programme, with a broader public release planned for later in the summer of 2026, MetaMask said. Coverage from CoinMarketCap, Genfinity, BitMart and Coin360 broadly matches the company’s description of the feature set and rollout plan. The move reflects growing interest in AI agents as financial actors, but it also highlights the central tension in automated crypto trading: the more autonomy software gains, the more important it becomes to define exactly when a human must step back in.