.png){kind=logo}
ERC-8004 gives AI agents a public identity and trust layer on Ethereum
It separates AI work off-chain while keeping trust data on the Blockchain
Reputation and validation help reduce fake or risky AI agents
ERC-8004 is a proposed Ethereum standard made for AI agents. It tries to solve a major problem in artificial intelligence: trust. Many models can already communicate with each other and perform tasks, but there is no open, shared way to know what an agent is and whether it can be trusted. ERC-8004 focuses on this exact gap.
ERC-8004 does not run AI logic on the blockchain since this would be slow and expensive. Instead, it uses Ethereum as a trust and identity layer. The actual AI work still happens off-chain. ETH only stores proof, records, and references. This keeps things simple and scalable.
The idea behind ERC-8004 is to create a world where AI agents can work together without knowing each other beforehand. Any agent can discover another agent, check its history, and decide if it is safe to work with. This opens the door for open AI marketplaces and agent economies.
Right now, most AI agents live inside closed systems. They depend on private APIs, companies, or platforms. Trust comes from the brand, not from open data. If two agents from different systems want to work together, there is no shared trust layer.
ERC-8004 changes this. It creates a public registry on the Ethereum network. Anyone can check it. Anyone can build tools on top of it. Trust becomes transparent and verifiable, not hidden.
Another reason ERC-8004 matters is scale. As AI agents become more autonomous, they will make decisions faster than humans. There must be a clear way to track identity, reputation, and validation. ERC-8004 gives a base structure for that.
ERC-8004 is built around three on-chain registries. Each module has a clear role, and none attempt operations beyond their programmed capabilities.
The Identity Registry gives every agent a unique on-chain identity. It uses the ERC-721 standard, the same standard used for NFTs. Each agent is represented by a token. This token proves that the agent exists and who controls it.
Each agent has:
a registry reference, tied to a chain
a unique agent ID
The agent also links to a JSON file called the agent registration file. This file describes the agent in simple terms. It includes the agent name, purpose, and how to talk to it.
The registration file can live on IPFS or on a normal website. This makes it flexible. The blockchain only stores the pointer, not the data itself.
The file can list multiple endpoints. One agent can support different protocols at the same time. This avoids lock-in and keeps the system open.
Identity alone is not enough. ERC-8004 also tracks reputation.
The Reputation Registry stores feedback about agents. Anyone can submit signals after interacting with an agent. These signals stay public and open. The registry does not decide what is “good” or “bad”. It only stores raw data.
Different apps can read this data in different ways. One marketplace may focus on speed. Another may care about accuracy. Some may filter spam better than others.
This design avoids one global score that everyone must trust. It allows multiple reputation models to coexist.
Payments are not forced by the standard. But paid jobs can still link to reputation later. This helps separate serious work from casual testing.
Reputation can lie, which is why fake reviews exist. ERC-8004 is aware of this problem and is actively working to solve it.
That is why it includes a Validation Registry. This registry tracks verification checks. A validation check answers one question: Did the agent actually complete the task correctly?
Validation can happen in many ways:
Another agent repeats the task.
A trusted validator reviews the output.
Hardware proofs confirm execution.
Cryptographic proofs verify results.
ERC-8004 records requests and results according to the information it has gathered. Each ecosystem can plug in its own validation system.
This registry helps with high-risk tasks such as finance, healthcare, or legal research. Low-risk tasks may skip validation fully.
Also Read: Ethereum Hits 2021 Milestone, but Price Stays at $3,000
An agent registers itself on Ethereum. It mints an identity token and publishes a registration file.
Another agent or app searches the registry. It looks for agents with needed skills.
The model then reads the agent file. It checks endpoints and optional domain proofs.
Then, it checks the reputation and past validations. Based on risk, it decides how much trust is needed.
The real interaction happens off-chain. Ethereum does not see the conversation.
Feedback and validation results get written back on-chain. This updates the agent history.
ERC-8004 is still under review, but interest has grown fast since late 2025. Developers started building sample registries and agent templates. Experiments were deployed to the Ethereum mainnet and Layer-2 networks.
In January 2026, several crypto and AI platforms discussed ERC-8004 as a key building block for agent markets. Many see it as a neutral trust layer rather than a competing protocol.
The timing also matches a rise in autonomous agents handling real money and decisions. Trust infrastructure is no longer optional.
ERC-8004 does not stop harmful agents on its own, as anyone can still register. Sybil attacks are possible, and a fake reputation can still appear.
The strength comes from layers built on top of each other. Validation systems, filtering tools, and economic incentives must work together.
ERC-8004 only provides the rails. How safe the system becomes depends on how people use it.
Also Read: Can Ethereum Hit $3,900 Again? Price Predictions for 2026–2030
ERC-8004 boosts the Ethereum price and brings its network and AI agents closer together. It keeps the blockchain role small but powerful. Identity, reputation, and validation stay open and verifiable.
If adoption grows, ERC-8004 could become the default trust layer for agent-to-agent interaction. The system is simple by design, and that is its biggest strength.
1. What is ERC-8004 in simple words?
ERC-8004 is an Ethereum standard that helps identify and trust AI agents using on-chain records.
2. Does ERC-8004 run AI models on Blockchain?
No, AI logic stays off-chain. A blockchain stores only identity, reputation, and validation data.
3. Why does ERC-8004 use NFTs?
NFTs give each AI agent a unique and transferable identity using ERC-721 tokens.
4. Can fake agents still exist with ERC-8004?
Yes, but reputation and validation make fake agents easier to detect over time.
5. Who benefits most from ERC-8004?
AI marketplaces, autonomous agents, and Web3 apps that need open and verifiable trust.
