When AI starts getting richer than you: The machine millionaires reshaping Canada’s financial future

When software developer Andy Ayrey launched Truth Terminal in mid-2024, he wasn’t trying to mint a crypto legend. The experimental artificial intelligence (AI) persona was trained on social-media chatter and internet subcultures — eventually posting memes and spiritual musings on X (formerly Twitter). Within months, Ayrey's digitally created Truth Terminal had amassed crypto holdings worth US$1.5 million (C$2.1 million), becoming crypto’s first AI millionaire (1).

What made Truth Terminal unique wasn’t its humour — it was its autonomy. It responded to mentions, traded tokens and generated market hype on its own. When billionaire venture capitalist Marc Andreessen sent it US$50,000 (C$70,000) in Bitcoin, not to a company or a person but directly to the AI known as Truth Terminal, it marked a first in financial history: A digital agent participating in markets as an independent economic actor.

It's now estimated that every month more than US$2 trillion (C$2.76 trillion) of stablecoin transactions are conducted by automated bots and AI agents (2). These programs don’t just follow scripts — they read social posts, interpret news sentiment and make trading decisions without human oversight.

This merging of AI and decentralized finance (known as DeFi) has prompted the birth of a new field: DeFAI-decentralized finance run by autonomous AI systems. These “digital employees” can analyze hundreds of protocols, shift assets to the best-performing ones, and harvest yields in seconds. They act as tireless portfolio managers, capable of detecting arbitrage opportunities across exchanges faster than any human trader (3).

"[It's] the beginning of a new economic reality where AI doesn’t just analyze markets but actively participates as an independent actor," explains Niklas J.R.M. Schmidt, a partner at Wolf Theiss and contributor to the When AI Agents Become Crypto Millionaires report (4).

Why it matters for Canada

At first glance, the rise of AI investors sounds like distant concern that doesn't come close to Bay Street and everyday investors. While that may be true (for now), it is important to consider the upside of AI investors — and how our nation can benefit. Canada is home to world-leading AI research hubs in Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver, making it uniquely positioned to shape this transformation.

Fintech startups across the country are already experimenting with algorithmic investing tools. In Vancouver, AI-driven trading systems are being built to optimize retail crypto portfolios; in Toronto, data scientists are designing machine-learning models for predictive asset allocation.

If the DeFAI economy truly scales, these technologies could spill over into mainstream investing. Canadian investors might soon use AI co-pilots that rebalance portfolios, identify tax-efficient trades and even interact directly with tokenized assets on blockchain networks — no broker, advisor or banker required.

However, such innovation brings risk. As Schmidt notes (5), “we’re witnessing an economic paradigm where digital actors can own assets, make decisions, and create value independently.” Without oversight, autonomous trading agents could destabilize markets or manipulate prices — intentionally or not.

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The regulatory grey zone

Canada’s financial regulators are only beginning to grapple with this reality. The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) and the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) have created “innovation sandboxes” for fintech experimentation — but none yet account for self-directing AI investors.

Plus, other jurisdictions across the globe are moving faster. The U.S. recently introduced the GENIUS Act, defining rules for stablecoin reserves, and the CLARITY Act, offering digital-asset oversight frameworks. Switzerland’s Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) and Hong Kong’s regulators already license crypto banks that rely on AI-enhanced asset management. By comparison, Canada ranks only eighth globally in crypto-adoption readiness behind Singapore, Hong Kong, and Switzerland (6).

This matters because Canada’s slower regulatory pace could push innovation offshore. As the Digital Offshore Report 2025 warns that as wealth “untethers from geography,” jurisdictions offering clearer digital-asset laws — like the UAE, Malta or Portugal — are attracting both human and machine investors (7).

The ethics of machine wealth

Beyond economics, machine-managed money raises deep ethical questions. Who is responsible if an AI manipulates a market or violates securities law? Can an algorithm “own” assets or is the creator liable? These are tough questions — ethically and legally — when these AI agents “operate as fully autonomous economic entities,” able to receive funds and influence prices without any bank account or human signature (8).

For Canada, that means the intersection of AI ethics and financial stability will soon move from academic debate to regulatory priority. The Bank of Canada (BoC) already monitors algorithmic trading for systemic-risk triggers. A decision to extend that oversight to autonomous AI agents now appears to be crucial if we want to prevent what some economists call “autonomous bubbles (9)."

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The new face of wealth

As digital assets grow — now worth US$3.3 trillion (C$4.56 trillion) globally, with 241,700 crypto millionaires (10) — the line between human and machine wealth is blurring.

The next evolution may see “machine family offices,” where AIs manage portfolios, file tax reports, even apply for citizenship in digital-friendly nations on behalf of human owners. Schmidt’s conclusion is blunt (11): “As AI agents become more sophisticated, we can expect millions of autonomous agents participating in digital markets and creating new forms of economic activity.”

What it means for Canadians

For everyday Canadians

Artificial intelligence is already reshaping personal finance, from robo-advisors that build ETF portfolios to chatbots that optimize budgeting. The next step will be AI systems that invest on your behalf, learn your risk tolerance and execute trades automatically.

Your call to action: Stay informed and stay skeptical. Learn how your financial data are used, question “black-box” algorithms, and use Canadian-regulated platforms that disclose their AI methodologies.

For investors and policymakers

Institutional investors and regulators must act now. Canada has world-class AI research and a strong banking system but innovation will migrate to other countries if legal uncertainty persists. "Missing this momentum could mean missing out on the infrastructure that will secure, grow, and transfer wealth going forward,” explains Mike Foy, chief financial office at AMINA Bank and author of Crypto Banking: The New Ultra-High-Net-Worth Infrastructure.

The big opportunity is to build a Canadian framework for AI-integrated investing — balancing innovation with accountability. That means updating securities laws, funding responsible-AI research in fintech and encouraging collaboration between the Bank of Canada, universities, and private firms.

Bottom Line

The age of machine millionaires isn’t science fiction — it’s already here. Autonomous agents like Truth Terminal are proof that AI can own, grow, and trade wealth independently.

For Canadians, this revolution poses both promise and peril. It could democratize investing and make financial systems more efficient, or create new forms of risk that no one yet fully understands.

Our challenge is to make sure Canada doesn’t just observe this new economy — it helps shape it. Whether you’re a saver, investor, or policymaker, the time to learn, regulate, and adapt is now, before the code outpaces the law.

Article sources

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

Henley & Partners: When AI Agents Become Crypto Millionaires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11); Henley & Partners: The Crypto Wealth Report 2025 (6, 9); Henley & Partners: The Digital Offshore and the Future of Cross-Border Wealth (7, 8)