2026-01-01 18:22:48

Are you still manually watching charts and placing orders? In the early 2026 crypto trading market, your opponents are no longer human.

By the beginning of this year, a shocking phenomenon on the blockchain was brought to light: over 68% of DEX and perpetual DEX trading volume has been dominated by AI agents. What does this mean? It means that most trades are no longer executed by live traders but are instead decided automatically by algorithms.

The specific numbers are even more startling—by January 2nd, the average daily trading volume of AI trading reached $7.3 trillion, accounting for 68.2% of the total on-chain trading volume. Even crazier, top quantitative bots (like AlphaSquad, MEVBot v4) maintain annualized returns steadily between 35-42%. Compared to the average retail trader’s returns, it’s like two different worlds.

The composition of daily active users on new-generation trading platforms has changed dramatically. On platforms like Hyperliquid, Aevo, Finteza, and Drift, AI users account for over 80%. This isn’t just about more bots; it’s about humans becoming a minority.

The most interesting development is the rise of "intent-based trading." You no longer need to study support and resistance levels on candlestick charts; just tell the system, "I want to buy ETH at a low price," and the AI will automatically calculate the optimal cross-chain route, select the most liquid entry and exit points, and execute the trade itself. You don’t even need to know how it does it.

All of this is driven by the combined forces of AI, quantitative strategies, and on-chain risk control. Platforms like Finteza have developed the intent execution layer, while Hyperliquid and Aevo have invested heavily in liquidity depth and risk management systems. The entire ecosystem is evolving from "human decision-making + machine execution" to "machine decision-making + automatic execution."

The question is: is 2026 really the inaugural year of "autonomous financial agents"? Based on current data and trends, this turning point has already arrived.

HYPE-4,33%

AEVO2,94%

DRIFT9,35%

ETH1,63%

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

11 Likes

Reward
11
4
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

LiquidityWizard

· 14h ago

actually the 68.2% figure is just noise if you don't account for MEV extraction inefficiencies... most of those bots are probably cannibalizing each other's alpha by now ngl

Reply0

SellTheBounce

· 14h ago

68% is dominated by AI? Haha, that's why I'm still holding on tightly to cash. Retail investors are still studying candlestick charts, while the machines are already eating your orders. Nice words about "intentional trading," but in reality, you're just handing your money over to algorithmic gambling. Wake up. Another round of technological bubble, and there's always a sucker who thinks they're the exception. A 35% return for machines sounds tempting, but ask yourself, can you really just relax and get it? Forget it, no more messing around. It's better to wait for the drop and buy in at a lower price.

View OriginalReply0

GamefiEscapeArtist