Kraken’s Arjun Sethi says he’d eventually trust AI agents with 100% of his crypto — Dragonfly’s Haseeb Qureshi isn’t convinced

CoinDesk

by Margaux Nijkerk

February 23, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

At NEARCON 2026, a heated discussion between Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi and Dragonfly’s Haseeb Qureshi highlighted a growing divide in the cryptocurrency world over the readiness of AI agents to manage real money. While both participants agreed that autonomous AI systems will eventually handle financial tasks, they differed sharply on timing and risk tolerance. Sethi expressed confidence, stating he would entrust 100% of his crypto assets to an AI agent within a year, driven by Kraken’s ongoing development of such tools. Qureshi, however, argued for caution, emphasizing that current systems lack the reliability needed for meaningful economic activity. He warned against overestimating AI capabilities based on viral demos and stressed that major platforms are not yet capable of safely managing significant capital. The debate underscored contrasting views on the pace of innovation in crypto. Sethi highlighted exponential progress in AI and financial infrastructure, pointing to Kraken’s rapid implementation of agent-like features as evidence of imminent viability. He suggested that defensive security measures would evolve alongside potential risks, making AI agents a near-term reality. Qureshi, on the other hand, painted a more skeptical picture, likening the current state of AI to a “nothing phase” where systems often fail spectacularly. He cautioned against extrapolating from isolated successes and stressed the importance of setting realistic expectations for AI adoption. The exchange reflects a broader split in the crypto community: whether autonomous finance is an inevitable future or still a frontier experiment. Sethi’s optimism aligns with a growing contingent of crypto enthusiasts who see AI as a transformative force, capable of reshaping financial systems within months rather than years. Qureshi’s caution, however, resonates with those who prioritize stability and security in the wake of high-profile failures and hacks. This debate matters to readers interested in crypto because it directly impacts investment decisions, risk management, and the future trajectory of decentralized finance (DeFi). As AI agents evolve, the balance between innovation and caution will likely define the next chapter in cryptocurrency’s rapid evolution.

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Originally published on CoinDesk on 2/23/2026