Alex Svanevik, CEO of onchain analytics firm Nansen, stated on The Block's daily show The Starting Block that AI trading agents will overtake human traders within roughly two years. The company has processed over $500 million in trading volume since launching its direct trading feature and is rebuilding its platform around autonomous agent-based trading. Svanevik outlined a strategic shift from data analytics to execution capabilities, expanding from crypto-only to all asset classes while transitioning from human token selection to agent-driven trading.
Nansen Processes $500 Million in Trading Volume
Nansen has recorded over $500 million in trading volume since introducing its direct trading feature, Svanevik disclosed. The company co-founded by Svanevik has transitioned from providing onchain analytics to enabling users to execute trades directly on its platform. Svanevik stated the product vision as "trade everything on chain with agents," requiring simultaneous shifts from analytics to execution, from crypto-only to every asset class, and from human token selection to agent-driven selection.
CEO Explains Agent Behavioral Advantages Over Human Traders
Svanevik described human retail traders as "quite sheep-like" and prone to piling into the same trades. He argued that agents draw on more varied inputs, models and tooling, making them more diverse than the humans they would replace. Svanevik acknowledged that agents running on inference rather than fixed rules face contamination risks, stating Nansen must address this vulnerability before releasing the product to users. He shared that one of Nansen's trading agents generated $23 in profit while consuming $700 in inference costs, illustrating the early-stage economics of the technology. Svanevik cited Nansen's accumulation of over 500 million labeled blockchain addresses over six years as data that enables agents to detect on-chain activity invisible to others.
Platform Expands to Non-Crypto Assets and Robinhood Integration
Of the top 15 perpetual futures on Nansen's platform, approximately 10 are non-crypto assets, including SpaceX, the S&P 500, gold, silver, crude oil and Brent, according to Svanevik. The company added Robinhood to the platform this week, with trading on Robinhood scheduled to activate within days. Svanevik stated that centralized exchanges will face difficulties following this direction due to licensed business constraints on agentic trading and lucrative legacy operations disrupted by the technology.
Company Tests Agents Through Backtesting Before Live Deployment
Svanevik stated Nansen is withholding autonomous agents from deployment rather than releasing incomplete products, running them through backtesting and paper trading before they handle real funds. He indicated the genuine advantage remains months away, while maintaining his expectation of a transition to agent dominance within two years.
FAQ
What trading volume has Nansen processed since launching direct trading?
Nansen has processed over $500 million in trading volume since introducing its direct trading feature, according to CEO Alex Svanevik's statement on The Block's daily show.
What non-crypto assets are available on Nansen's platform?
Of the top 15 perpetual futures on Nansen's platform, approximately 10 are non-crypto assets including SpaceX, the S&P 500, gold, silver, crude oil and Brent, as stated by Svanevik.
When will Robinhood trading activate on Nansen's platform?
Nansen added Robinhood to the platform this week, with trading on Robinhood set to switch on within days, according to Svanevik's announcement.
