WalletConnect bets big on AI and mobile adoption to power next phase of protocol’s growth

In the early days of crypto, wallets were the gateway to freedom. Today, they often feel like a hurdle: endless popups, constant transaction approvals, and fragmented experiences. Every action demands user input. Every transaction risks becoming a bottleneck. The explosion of onchain applications has stretched this friction to the breaking point. If we are serious about scaling blockchain adoption beyond the crypto-native crowd—to institutions, enterprises, and billions of retail users—we need a fundamental shift. At WalletConnect, we believe that shift is here. It’s called Smart Sessions , a new standard designed for the AI-powered future of the internet. With the rise of intelligent agents, Smart Sessions are poised to ignite the next phase of growth for our network and ecosystem. Less Wallets. More AI. Smart Sessions redefine the onchain experience. Instead of endless wallet popups, users connect once, set clear rules, and delegate permission to an app or, increasingly, to an AI agent to transact on their behalf within secure, predefined guardrails. In practice, it means: Automated trading strategies (like DCA, arbitrage bots) Fully autonomous onchain games Subscription payments that work like Stripe, but onchain AI agents managing assets and strategies in real time Imagine replacing “App → Wallet → Blockchain” with “App → AI → Wallet → Blockchain.” Agents become first-class citizens in this model. They operate within parameters you define, combining the security of crypto with the usability of Web2. Smart Sessions create the foundation for a seamless, intelligent onchain world. A New Layer of Protocol Utility: $WCT Smart Sessions aren’t just a UX upgrade. They fundamentally reshape the economic dynamics of WalletConnect. Each Smart Session represents a new stream of onchain activity. As sessions proliferate, powered by AI agents in apps, wallets, and custodial solutions, transaction volume is expected to grow exponentially . Looking ahead, we envision a model where transaction fees will be introduced, creating a new revenue layer for the network. Importantly, these future fees are designed to be paid using $WCT, WalletConnect’s native token. This would bring a new dimension to $WCT’s utility. It’s not just a governance token; it becomes critical infrastructure, capturing real economic value as Smart Sessions scale across the network. The more autonomous agents transact, the greater the anticipated demand for $WCT. Institutions Are Already Building WalletConnect isn’t just consumer-facing. We power the experiences custodial wallets deliver to institutions worldwide. Smart Sessions will transform these environments, upgrading today’s basic custody flows into onchain-native AI investment agents . Institutions are seeking: Better security (delegated permissions reduce key risk) Higher automation (24/7 onchain execution) Lower friction (eliminating endless human approvals) With Smart Sessions, custodial wallets can offer a future-proof solution: secure, automated, and built for the era of AI-driven crypto investing. Mobile Is Unlocking New Growth Recent changes to Apple’s App Store policies mark a turning point for mobile crypto adoption. For the first time, apps and wallets will have more freedom to guide users toward decentralized payment options, external wallets, and onchain transactions. WalletConnect pioneered the original standard that enabled secure connections between mobile apps and wallets . Now, with regulatory and platform barriers easing, mobile-first crypto experiences can finally scale to their full potential. Smart Sessions — or what we increasingly see as Permissioned Sessions — will be critical in this mobile world, enabling seamless, trusted interactions between users, apps, and autonomous agents. As mobile access expands, WalletConnect is uniquely positioned to power the next generation of decentralized, AI-driven applications — everywhere users are. The Future: An Onchain Internet, Powered by Sessions We are standing at the beginning of a profound shift: Users will expect wallets that “just work” in the background. Apps will integrate AI agents by default. Sessions will replace manual transactions as the dominant mode of onchain interaction. $WCT will sit at the heart of this new transaction economy. Smart Sessions aren’t just a feature. They are a new primitive for an AI-powered, mobile-native, onchain world. This is a future where you don’t work to be onchain. Onchain works for you. Enabled by wallets. Empowered by AI. Built with Smart Sessions. WalletConnect is making it real. The next wave of growth is just getting started. This content is sponsored and does not serve as an endorsement by Blockworks. The veracity of this content has not been verified and should not serve as financial advice. We encourage readers to conduct their own research before making financial decisions. Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters: Source: https://blockworks.co/news/walletconnect-bets-big-on-ai-and-mobile-adoption