AI agents need open money: Ryze Labs' Matty Graham on crypto rails, stablecoins, and scaling in emerging markets
Crypto isn’t just for humans anymore. Digital agents are coming — and they’ll need open money.
In Episode 273 of Web3 with Sam Kamani, we’re joined by Matty Graham, Managing Partner at Ryze Labs. Matty’s journey is as layered as the industries he now helps bridge: from banking in emerging markets to Reddit rabbit holes, from early Ethereum conviction to backing Web3 founders building for 2B+ users across the globe.
This conversation digs deep into the foundational shift happening at the edge of AI and crypto — and what it means for founders, investors, and builders alike.
From Reddit pizza to Ethereum epiphany
Matty's entry into crypto was far from academic — a Reddit post about buying pizza with Bitcoin piqued his interest. But it wasn’t until the Ethereum whitepaper landed in his inbox that everything clicked. Programmable money wasn’t just a clever concept; it was a systemic unlock. That was his “drop everything” moment.
Why Ryze Labs bets on the global + local model
Ryze Labs was born out of a realization: crypto’s next billion users won't come from Silicon Valley. The firm operates with boots on the ground in regions like India, Vietnam, China, and MENA. This hybrid “global + local” model gives Ryze a unique edge — access, context, and distribution power founders typically lack.
Matty explains that Ryze doesn’t just write checks — they plug into local ecosystems to help startups scale authentically and sustainably in markets that are often underserved yet brimming with potential.
AI agents will need to move money — and crypto is the only way
Here’s the core thesis: AI agents are evolving beyond static tools. They will act. They will transact. And they’ll need a programmable, decentralized infrastructure to do so. Stripe and PayPal? Too rigid. Banks? Too slow.
Crypto — especially stablecoins — offers the clearest current solution. Whether it’s paying global teams or enabling machine-to-machine commerce, programmable money is the missing piece for the AI stack to truly operate at scale.
Stablecoins are real utility. Everything else is still figuring it out.
Matty doesn’t mince words: speculation has dominated crypto, crowding out genuine use cases. But stablecoins? They’re already solving problems today.
In countries where legacy rails fail, stablecoins are being used to pay remote teams, transfer value quickly, and escape currency volatility. That’s real product-market fit — not just a whitepaper dream.
Why your ChatGPT history should scare you more than your Google searches
Matty offers a sharp take on privacy: we’re entering a world where your AI interactions are more revealing than your search history. Every prompt, every correction, every edit — it’s a mirror to your thoughts, decisions, and data.
As agents become more autonomous, control over what they access — and how they store or share it — becomes a core design consideration. Privacy isn't just a feature; it's the foundation.
What early-stage founders should really chase
Forget vanity metrics and point systems. Matty urges founders to zero in on 5–7 real users who evangelize and pay for the product. If you win those early super fans, you’ve struck something worth building on. Everything else — growth, scale, virality — comes after that.
Institutions are coming — but slowly, and on their terms
While we’re seeing ETFs and structured exposure pop up in “east-coast style” finance circles, true institutional engagement in crypto’s tech layer is still early. It’s a long game — and builders who understand both tech and finance will shape how that game plays out.
If Ryze started today? AI hubs meet emerging-market depth
When asked what he’d do differently if starting Ryze Labs today, Matty suggests splitting the team between AI hubs like San Francisco and Hangzhou, while doubling down on emerging-market boots-on-the-ground expertise. In short, straddle innovation and distribution.
Who should reach out to Matty?
If you’re building in AI + crypto — especially infrastructure that enables intelligent agents to transact value — Matty wants to hear from you. Best-in-class engineers, founders, and thinkers are welcome to DM him directly: @MattyRyze.
Listen to the full episode:
Connect with Ryze Labs & Matty Graham
- Website: ryzelabs.io
- Twitter/X: @RyzeLabs | @MattyRyze
- LinkedIn: Ryze Labs
