MetaMask unveils AI wallet with $10K loss protection

by Molly Poole



MetaMask has launched Agent Wallet, a self-custodial product that lets AI agents execute on-chain transactions while operating within limits set by users.

Summary

  • Agent Wallet supports autonomous transactions across EVM-compatible networks and Hyperliquid.
  • Users can impose spending caps, protocol restrictions, and risk settings before an agent begins operating.
  • Eligible transactions receive up to $10,000 in monthly Transaction Protection, subject to MetaMask’s terms.
  • The wallet supports AI development tools including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenClaw.

MetaMask Agent Wallet gives AI agents controlled access

MetaMask announced the wider launch of Agent Wallet on Thursday after introducing the product to roughly 200 early-access users in June.

The wallet targets traders and developers who use AI agents to monitor markets, identify opportunities and execute on-chain strategies. Supported activities include token swaps, perpetual futures trading, prediction market positions and liquidity provisioning.

Agent Wallet works with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenClaw, Hermes and OpenCode. Users can deploy agents across Hyperliquid and supported Ethereum Virtual Machine networks, according to MetaMask.

Unlike systems that give an AI model unrestricted wallet access, Agent Wallet lets users establish rules before funding the account. These include daily spending limits, approved protocols and broader risk preferences.

“This security-first model is why Agent Wallet is built around rules, not blind delegation,” MetaMask said. “The agent can act, but it acts inside the user’s boundaries.”

Users remain in control of their private keys and can export their secret recovery phrase, preserving the wallet’s self-custodial structure.

Guard Mode and Beast Mode offer different controls

Agent Wallet includes two operating settings based on how much autonomy a user wants to give an AI system.

Guard Mode is the default option. Transactions that exceed spending limits, interact with unapproved protocols, or violate another wallet policy pause for human approval through two-factor authentication. Users can review and approve the request through MetaMask Mobile or an email link.

Beast Mode reduces the number of approval interruptions for experienced traders and developers. Security checks remain active, while transactions identified as potentially malicious still require human authorization.

The wallet also uses gas abstraction. Agents can transfer or swap tokens without holding the network’s native asset to cover transaction fees. MetaMask instead settles the fee using the asset being moved.

“Agents can transfer and swap without holding a chain’s native token for gas; MetaMask settles the network fee in the token being moved.”

Transaction protection covers eligible losses up to $10K

Supported EVM transactions pass through simulation, threat scanning, and MetaMask’s Smart Transactions protection against maximal extractable value risks before reaching the blockchain.

Transactions that clear these checks may qualify for up to $10,000 in Transaction Protection coverage per month if they still result in a loss. The protection is subject to eligibility requirements and does not mean every trading loss, failed strategy, or unsupported transaction will receive reimbursement.

The distinction matters because autonomous trading remains exposed to market volatility, smart-contract failures, and incorrect instructions. Wallet-level limits can restrict what an agent is authorized to do, but they cannot eliminate every financial or technical risk.

MetaMask said the system is designed to prevent AI agents from overriding user policies, reducing reliance on the agent interpreting each instruction correctly.

MetaMask joins the race for AI-powered finance

The launch places MetaMask in competition with other crypto companies developing payment and trading infrastructure for autonomous software.

U.S.-based Coinbase introduced Agentic Wallets in February, giving AI systems programmable tools to spend, earn, and trade with built-in guardrails. MoonPay has also expanded MoonAgents, including a Telegram-based interface for managing crypto through natural-language commands.

Agent Wallet also extends MetaMask’s move beyond a standard browser wallet. In June, the company launched Money Account, a self-custodial account built around mUSD that combines variable DeFi yield, trading and card spending through one balance.

MetaMask has not introduced a native token alongside Agent Wallet. Adoption will instead depend on whether traders and developers are willing to give autonomous systems limited authority over real on-chain capital.



Source link

Related Posts

Leave a Comment