Original author: 0x Jeff
Original translation: TechFlow
How to seize the opportunity in the wave of tokenization of AI agents?
Back in October, Virtuals launched the concept of tokenizing AI agents. It was a bold attempt, but most people were not interested in it at the time - because the market was not ready.
However, today, many of Virtuals’ agents have achieved 50x or even 100x returns, instantly attracting everyone’s attention.
But you have to know that those 50x to 100x opportunities are not accidental. If you want to get similar super high returns, you must plan ahead. You need a clear investment logic and wait patiently for the opportunity before others discover it.
If you were to enter the market now, you might still get a 5x to 10x return — which is pretty good, but still a far cry from the 50x to 100x gains that the early adopters are making. In hindsight, it all seems pretty easy, right?
So, is it too late now?
No, but you need to be more strategic. What was considered "Alpha" two months ago is no longer Alpha. The ecosystem of virtuals has become crowded and the low-hanging fruits have already been snatched up.
What to do next?
First, don’t limit yourself to a single ecosystem. Whether it’s Base or Solana, whether it’s Virtuals or ai16z, each ecosystem has opportunities worth exploring.
This is not a game of "taking sides" and you don't need to support one ecosystem and disparage another. Instead, you should look for opportunities wherever there is potential.
For example, I focus on multiple ecosystems such as Base and Solana, looking for investment opportunities in intelligent entities. Although I have a certain preference for Virtuals (often tweeting support for them), I always keep an open mind.
The key is to be flexible and look for real value, rather than getting caught up in factional struggles.
How to choose a good intelligent agent?
A successful intelligent agent needs to have two core elements: uniqueness and utility. If there is no utility, the intelligent agent token is likely to be forgotten after a short hype like most meme coins.
A good agent must provide real value, and it would be a bonus if the team can master the “art of attention”:
Build a compelling backstory or brand identity around your agent.
Rapidly and continuously release new features to maintain innovation.
Actively listen to and meet the needs and expectations of the community.
When these factors come together, the agent has a chance to achieve product-market fit (PMF). Teams that can continue to execute and innovate after finding PMF, such as @aixbt_agent, can dominate their niche and become core projects in the entire ecosystem.
The most popular intelligent narratives and features in the market today include:
1. Obtain and provide Alpha information
Agents that can provide signals and insights for trading are in high demand.
example:
@aixbt_agent: A benchmark project for Alpha agents.
Other Alpha agents worth noting:
(Tweet details)
2. Invest in DAOs
A hedge fund-style DAO led by a human or AI agent that invests through a treasury.
example:
@daosdotworld: Ecosystem on Base
Ecosystem on Virtuals, including @Vader_AI_, @wai_combinator, @sekoia_virtuals and @aixCB_Vc
@daosdotfun: The Ecosystem on Solana
The advantages of investing in DAOs are:
Provide authoritative endorsement for high-quality intelligent agents.
Provide a distribution channel for portfolio projects.
Providing early and discounted over-the-counter (OTC) token rounds, often leading to outsized returns.
Want to know more about how Invest DAO works:
(Tweet details)
Future trends of AI agents: How to seize the next 100x opportunity?
3. On-chain transactions: a story from small funds to big wealth
On-chain transactions have been a hot topic in the Crypto Twitter (CT) community. We not only love to see someone turn $1,000 into $1,000,000, but we are also attracted by the fighting spirit they show in the process.
The first batch of on-chain trading agents have captured this enthusiasm. They focus on the growth of their portfolios and demonstrate their trading frameworks and strategies in real time. Although this track is still in its early stages, some exciting projects have begun to emerge:
@Gekko_Agent: A self-improving trading agent based on Virtuals, leveraging @getaxal’s infrastructure for efficient trading.
@BigTonyXBT: Based on the Cod 3 x platform, focusing on automated trading execution of mainstream assets.
@ProjectPlutus_: Known by its fun codename $PPCOIN, this agent combines real-time analytics with automated direct investment (DCA) strategies. It is expected that on-chain transaction agents will become the focus of the market in the first and second quarters of 2025.
4. Tools for developers: driving ecosystem development
As the AI agent ecosystem expands, the need for developer tools becomes more important. Several innovative projects have begun to fill this gap:
@soleng_agent: Monitors Pull Requests in the codebase, performs initial code reviews, and serves as an AI reviewer at hackathons.
@h 4 ck_terminal: A white hat agent used for bug bounties and security inspections.
@CertaiK_Agent: Focuses on providing security audit services for intelligent agents.
(Tweet details)
5. Privacy and Confidentiality: Trusted Execution Environment (TEE)
Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) technology, pioneered by @marvin_tong and @PhalaNetwork on Solana, opens up the possibility of fully autonomous agents.
Some interesting applications and experiments include:
“Unrugable ICO” Agent: Avoiding Investment Fraud Through Smart Contracts.
@aipool_tee and @sporedotfun: Agents with inherited traits that can be passed on to their offspring.
@deepwormxyz: Experimental project based on neural networks. Currently there is no TEE agent on the Virtuals platform, but the value of the first TEE agent is expected to rise rapidly.
6. Preemptively plan for future narratives
Predicting the next wave of market narrative trends in advance is the key to achieving returns of more than 100 times. This is also why I entered Virtuals when its market value was less than $30 million.
Emerging narratives to watch in 2025 include:
DeFi Agents
NSFW Agent
robot
Data-driven agents
Gamification of Agents
Swarm/collective intelligence
Infrastructure construction
If you’ve been following these trends, you may have seen 5x to 20x returns on some of these projects.
Beginner's Guide: Where to Start?
If you are new to AI agents or my content, I recommend starting with the following articles:
(AI Agent Annual Review and Outlook: From single point breakthrough to ecological prosperity, opening a new chapter in the intelligent ecology)
Personal note: Thanks for reading! If you work in crypto AI and want to talk further, feel free to send me a private message!
Disclaimer: This article is for reference only and does not constitute investment advice. Please conduct due diligence based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance before investing.
