Artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency have spent the past several years sharing headlines, often fueled by soaring token prices and ambitious promises. But beneath the speculation, many industry leaders argue that the real transformation is happening elsewhere.

More than a dozen founders, chief technology officers, financial professionals and blockchain executives who responded to The FINANCIAL’s questions described an industry increasingly focused on infrastructure rather than hype. Their answers point to a future shaped by decentralized computing, autonomous software agents, stronger cybersecurity and regulatory clarity—not by the next speculative token.

Beyond the Hype: AI’s Real Role in Crypto

One theme emerged…