AI Tokens Lose Momentum After Speculation-Driven Gains

The crypto market holds its breath, suspended between fatigue and anticipation. This phase of observation affects all segments: Bitcoin wavers, ETFs alternate between inflows and outflows, and RWA gradually assert themselves. On the AI crypto side, the tide has turned. After months of euphoria, AI-related tokens are showing signs of exhaustion. Speculation has spoken, and the awakening is harsh.

In brief

• AI crypto tokens posted a modest return of 3.3% in July, compared to 10.7% for RWAs, indicating a growing disinterest.
• Nvidia Blackwell GPUs make AI tokens 35 times cheaper to produce, which will mechanically drive their prices down.
• BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, and Ondo are attracting institutional capital towards the tokenization of real assets and stablecoins.
• AI agents are becoming autonomous economic actors, but the technology remains immature and use cases are limited.

The enthusiasm for AI cryptos resembled a casino fever, where every investor hoped to hit the jackpot. Yet, the numbers speak for themselves: RWA tokens recorded a median return of 10.7% in July 2026, compared to just 3.3% for their AI counterparts.

This striking contrast reveals a truth that many refused to acknowledge. Most AI crypto projects sorely lack substance, their value resting on appealing storytelling rather than solid fundamentals.

Institutional players, the big sharks of the markets, have already changed course. Their appetite now leans towards Bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins, and payment infrastructures. BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, and Ondo are leading the way with tokenized assets that generate real income.

Meanwhile, AI tokens are seeing their prices erode, victims of massive profit-taking after the explosion of 2025. The question that haunts observers is simple: are we witnessing the programmed end of the AI bubble or just a consolidation before a new surge?

The silent revolution comes from data centers, not white papers. The new Nvidia Blackwell GPUs arrive with phenomenal computing power, and their impact on the economy of AI tokens promises to be devastating. Each chip generates 65 times more tokens than the previous Hopper generation, while the production cost per million tokens collapses: $4.20 compared to 12 cents.

This vertiginous drop will mechanically pull prices down, like a guillotine falling on a butcher's block.

AI models are becoming more efficient, thereby reducing demand for certain tokens. The Silicon Data token spending index has already dropped from 2.06 to 1.75, an alarm signal that savvy investors cannot ignore. Fragile AI crypto projects risk seeing their business models shatter.

Will this technological revolution turn AI tokens into mere commodities sold off cheaply, or will some projects manage to stand out by offering irreplaceable added value?

The financial sharks have spoken, and their verdict is clear. They now favor assets that offer liquidity and mass adoption, abandoning speculative bets on AI.

Bitcoin remains the undisputed king, its store of value making it highly coveted. Ethereum fully benefits from the rise of stablecoins and tokenization, becoming the backbone of this new finance.

The numbers are staggering: Ondo has surpassed one billion dollars in locked value in just eight months, while Franklin Templeton manages $1.98 billion in tokenized funds.

The crypto industry is not dying; it is reinventing itself on more solid foundations. Blockchain payments and settlement infrastructures attract capital, while AI agents begin to use stablecoins for their transactions.

AI agents are becoming fully-fledged economic actors, equipped with wallets and the ability to make autonomous payments. Coinbase, Amazon, and Virtual Protocol are building the infrastructures that will allow these software agents to pay for services, data, or resources.

Virtual Protocol reports 45,558 distinct agents, 1.48 million jobs, and $2.27 million in revenue over 30 days. The technology is still immature, but its potential is immense.

AI agents could become the interfaces of decentralized finance, automating complex processes without human intervention.

Yet, uncertainty reigns. Projects are multiplying, but few show real traction. Investors must navigate between technological promises and ground reality. Will AI agents embody the next wave of innovation or will they replicate the speculative cycle of AI tokens?

Crypto AI is going through a tough phase, but the story is not over. Speculative tokens are collapsing, while RWAs and Bitcoin are asserting themselves. However, AI agents and payment infrastructures outline a promising future. In this complex market, tools like crypto APIs for bots are becoming essential for agile navigation.

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