A Deep Dive into Virtuals Protocol’s Vision for AI Agents

On March 28, 2025, Valhist shared a detailed research post on X about Virtuals Protocol, a platform that’s making waves in the AI and crypto space. The post, titled "[Research] Virtuals: The Most Reliable Way to Invest in AI," paints a compelling picture of why Virtuals is leading the charge in AI agent development and why these agents could be the future of crypto investment. Let’s break down the key points and explore what makes Virtuals Protocol a standout in this rapidly evolving industry.

What Is Virtuals Protocol?

Virtuals Protocol is an ecosystem designed to create, support, and scale AI agents—autonomous programs powered by artificial intelligence that can perform tasks like trading, research, or even social media management without human intervention. Think of them as digital assistants, but with the ability to operate independently across various platforms and blockchains. The platform operates primarily on Base, an Ethereum layer-2 network, and recently expanded to Solana, as noted in a Cointelegraph article.

The X post highlights Virtuals as more than just a platform—it’s a thriving community and ecosystem. The accompanying image, labeled "Society of AI Agents," depicts a bustling, futuristic marketplace filled with diverse characters, symbolizing the vibrant network of AI agents interacting and transacting within Virtuals’ framework. This visual captures the essence of what Virtuals aims to achieve: a decentralized, collaborative space where AI agents drive innovation in crypto.

The G.A.M.E. Framework: Powering Autonomous AI Agents

At the heart of Virtuals Protocol is its G.A.M.E. framework, which stands out as a game-changer for AI agent development. According to the post, this framework allows anyone with API keys to build autonomous, multimodal AI agents. But what does that mean in simple terms?

• Autonomous: These agents can make decisions on their own based on predefined goals.
• Multimodal: They can handle various tasks, like generating images, executing on-chain transactions, or analyzing data.
• Accessible: Developers can add functionalities through plugins, making the framework highly customizable.

The G.A.M.E. framework operates with a Task Generator and Workers. The Task Generator processes information and assigns tasks, while Workers—each acting as a specialized agent—execute those tasks. For example, a real estate company could use an AI agent to manage its social media, analyze market trends, and even interact with clients, all while providing insights no human could match at scale. As Valhist notes, this framework is "indispensable" for creating powerful, scalable AI agents, a point echoed in a Medium article that describes G.A.M.E. as the "powerhouse for agent autonomy."

A Thriving Community and the Virtuals Partners Network

Virtuals isn’t just about tech—it’s about people. The platform fosters a tight-knit community of developers, investors, and researchers, which Valhist highlights as a key strength. The team behind Virtuals regularly hosts AMAs (Ask Me Anything sessions) and collaborates closely with agent development teams to ensure their success. This community-driven approach ensures that promising AI agents get the support they need to thrive.

A major milestone for Virtuals is the launch of the Virtuals Partners Network (VPN), announced on March 20, 2025, as per a Crypto News article. The VPN connects AI crypto founders with top investors, domain experts, academics, and builders. Some notable members include:

• Investors: Tommy Shaughnessy from Delphi Ventures and Jasmine, an angel investor (@jasminervaa).
• Domain Experts: Katryna Hanush from Wintermute and Alen Zhang from A.I. Network State.
• Academics: Dr. Adaku Agwunobi from the University of Oxford (@DrAdaku).
• Builders: Condz from Acolyt and Vader from VaderAI.

This network ensures that AI agent projects have access to funding, expertise, and strategic guidance, making Virtuals a reliable launchpad for new ideas. As the community grows, so does the ecosystem’s strength, creating a virtuous cycle of innovation.

Hackathons, Partnerships, and Multichain Expansion

Virtuals keeps the momentum going with regular hackathons, like the upcoming Coinbase AI Hackathon 2025, which offers a $100,000 prize pool. These events not only attract developers but also strengthen ties with major players like Coinbase. The G.A.M.E. framework often serves as the backbone for these hackathons, showcasing its versatility.

The platform’s expansion to Solana, announced on January 25, 2025, is another big win. Solana’s high-speed, low-cost blockchain is a perfect fit for AI agents that need to process transactions quickly. Virtuals is also tailoring solutions to Solana’s unique features, such as launching a Meteora pool for liquidity and a grants program for early-stage builders, as noted in the Cointelegraph article. This multichain strategy positions Virtuals to capture a broader audience of developers and users.

Tokenomics and the $VIRTUAL Token

The $VIRTUAL token is the backbone of Virtuals’ ecosystem. As of the post, its fully diluted valuation (FDV) is $660 million—a fraction of Open AI’s $500 billion valuation, which Valhist argues undervalues Virtuals’ potential. The token is used for trading AI agent tokens, staking, and capturing value through a buyback and burn program. In total, 12,990,427.85 tokens have been used for buybacks and burns, signaling strong confidence in the platform’s future.

However, Valhist points out a controversial aspect: agent creators currently receive revenue in Bitcoin rather than $VIRTUAL tokens. While recent changes have shifted fee distribution—70% now goes to token creators, with 10% to the Agent Commerce Protocol (ACP) vault—the lack of $VIRTUAL in payouts has raised questions. Valhist believes the team will eventually transition to using $VIRTUAL, which could further boost the token’s value through buybacks.

Why AI Agents Are the Future

Valhist makes a bold claim: AI agents are the future, and Virtuals is the flagship. He argues that AI adoption is outpacing all predictions—ChatGPT, for example, is now used by 5% of the world’s population. AI agents excel in automation and management, and their integration into crypto is inevitable. Tokenizing these agents, as Virtuals does, makes it easier for small companies to attract investment without the complexities of traditional stock listings.

Imagine a future where every company has its own AI agent, acting as a brand mascot or operational tool. Virtuals provides the perfect ecosystem for this vision, offering reliability and support that give agent creators a competitive edge. As Valhist puts it, not leveraging a platform like Virtuals would mean falling behind.

The Team Behind Virtuals

The post also shines a light on Virtuals’ core team, formed in London:

• Jansen Teng (@ethermage): A former BCG consultant and serial entrepreneur in AI and biochemistry.
• Wee Kee (@everythingempt0): Another BCG alum, passionate about advancing technology over profit.
• Bryan Lim: A technical specialist focused on AI algorithms, with experience at AIR Lab.
• Javier: An AI and data science expert with over five years of experience, specializing in models like Stable Diffusion.

This team’s dedication and expertise are evident in Virtuals’ rapid growth and innovative approach. Their passion for building a meaningful ecosystem resonates throughout the community, as seen in Wee Kee’s heartfelt response to Valhist’s post: “💙.”

What’s Next for Virtuals?

Valhist’s thread mentions upcoming features like the Trenches mechanism, which will ensure fair agent launches by distributing allocations to deserving community members based on trading volume and token retention. The Agent Commerce Protocol (ACP) and ACP Reserve Vault will also enhance agent interactions, allowing them to transact and trade within the ecosystem.

A related X post from Virtuals Protocol on March 29, 2025, ties this vision to other AI agents like Neurobro, an AI agent focused on crypto intelligence. Neurobro’s ecosystem, detailed in a separate thread, includes a Telegram Assistant, a Terminal for real-time insights, and a social media presence across platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Virtuals sees agents like Neurobro as part of the broader movement toward autonomous intelligence in crypto.

Final Thoughts: Is Virtuals Worth the Hype?

Valhist concludes with a call to action: if you don’t believe in the long-term potential of AI agents after reading his research, then Virtuals might not be for you. But for those who see the vision, Virtuals offers a compelling opportunity. The platform’s combination of cutting-edge technology, community support, and strategic expansion makes it a leader in the AI agent space.

With the AI sector in crypto valued at just $5 billion—peanuts compared to the broader AI industry—there’s massive room for growth. Virtuals’ $VIRTUAL token, strong community, and innovative framework position it as a top contender. As Valhist puts it, “Don’t focus on the price—believe in something!” If AI agents are indeed the future, Virtuals Protocol is paving the way.