Fetch.ai (FET) is a decentralised artificial intelligence (AI) blockchain platform that enables the deployment of autonomous AI agents capable of performing complex tasks, from optimising supply chains and managing DeFi portfolios to coordinating smart city infrastructure and personal data monetization. Founded by Humayun Sheikh, Toby Simpson, and Thomas Hain and launched in 2017 (mainnet 2020), Fetch.ai combines machine learning, multi-agent systems, and blockchain to create an “economy of agents”: self-operating software programs that can discover each other, negotiate, transact, and collaborate autonomously without human intervention. The Fetch.ai network uses the FET token as its native currency for agent registration, transaction fees, staking, and governance. Agents on the network are registered in the Agent Name Service (similar to DNS) and can be discovered and hired by other agents or users. Fetch.ai’s technology has found applications in DeFi (AI-optimised yield strategies), mobility (autonomous EV charging), healthcare (federated learning for medical data), and supply chain optimisation. In 2024, Fetch.ai, SingularityNET (AGIX), and Ocean Protocol (OCEAN) merged their tokens into a single Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (ASI) token — creating the world’s largest decentralised AI initiative focused on developing beneficial artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Origin & History
| Date | Event |
| 2017 | Fetch.ai founded in Cambridge, UK by Humayun Sheikh, Toby Simpson, Thomas Hain |
| February 2019 | FET token IEO on Binance Launchpad — one of the first Binance Launchpad projects |
| March 2020 | Fetch.ai mainnet v1 launches |
| 2021 | FET peaks near $1.17 during bull market; ecosystem grows |
| 2022 | Fetch.ai Agentverse launches — hosted agent deployment platform |
| 2023 | ChatGPT effect boosts AI crypto narrative; FET gains major attention |
| 2024 | FET reaches new ATH near $3.5 during AI crypto super cycle |
| March 2024 | Fetch.ai, SingularityNET, Ocean Protocol announce ASI Alliance merger |
| July 2024 | FET, AGIX, OCEAN tokens begin migration to ASI (Artificial Superintelligence) token |
| 2024 | ASI Alliance formation creates largest decentralised AI ecosystem by market cap |
“Autonomous economic agents will run the digital economy — fetching data, executing trades, optimising systems, all without human intervention.” — Humayun Sheikh, CEO
How It Works
“` FETCH.AI ECOSYSTEM ================== AGENTS (Autonomous AI programs)
| ┌──────────┼──────────┐
| | | User Agent Business Service (personal Agent Agent assistant) (DeFi bot) (data provider)
| | | └──────────┴──────────┘
| AGENT NAME SERVICE (ANS) (Discovery layer — agents find each other)
| FETCH.AI BLOCKCHAIN (Transaction settlement in FET)
| ┌──────────┼──────────┐
| | | Agentverse CoLearn Almanac (Agent (Federated (Agent hosting) learning) registry) “`
| Feature | Fetch.ai (FET/ASI) | SingularityNET (AGIX) | Ocean Protocol (OCEAN) |
| Core Focus | Autonomous AI agents | AI marketplace | Data marketplace |
| Token | ASI (merged) | ASI (merged) | ASI (merged) |
| Chain | Cosmos-based | Ethereum/Cardano | Polygon/Ethereum |
| Key Product | Agentverse | AI marketplace | Data NFTs |
| Target | Multi-agent systems | AI services | Data monetisation |
In Simple Terms
- AI Agents as Employees — Fetch.ai agents are like software employees that work autonomously: a DeFi agent that monitors yield rates and automatically moves your funds to the best strategy; a supply chain agent that tracks shipments and negotiates contracts without human intervention.
- Agent Economy — Agents register on the network, advertise their capabilities, discover other agents with complementary services, and transact in FET/ASI tokens. The “economy” is agents hiring agents to accomplish complex multi-step tasks.
- Federated Learning (CoLearn) — Fetch.ai enables privacy-preserving machine learning where hospitals can collectively train AI models on patient data without sharing the actual data. The model learns from distributed private datasets through the blockchain.
- ASI Merger — By merging Fetch.ai, SingularityNET (Ben Goertzel’s AGI platform), and Ocean Protocol (data marketplace), the ASI Alliance combines autonomous agents + AI models + training data into a single ecosystem — the infrastructure stack for decentralised AGI.
- Real-World Integration — Unlike many crypto projects, Fetch.ai has deployed real enterprise solutions: autonomous EV charging coordination (BMW partnership), mobility data marketplace (Bosch partnership), and DeFi yield optimisation bots.
Real-World Examples
| Scenario | Implementation | Outcome |
| DeFi Yield Bots | Fetch.ai agents autonomously optimise yield positions | Automated DeFi portfolio management without human monitoring |
| BMW Partnership | Fetch.ai agents manage car parking and EV charging networks | Smart city mobility optimisation with blockchain settlement |
| Bosch Partnership | Supply chain optimisation agents for industrial IoT | Machine-to-machine transactions in manufacturing |
| COVID Vaccine Research | Federated learning for drug discovery across research institutions | Privacy-preserving AI collaboration |
| ASI Alliance (2024) | $7B+ combined market cap decentralised AI ecosystem formed | Largest decentralised AI consortium globally |
Advantages
| Advantage | Detail |
| Early AI + Blockchain Pioneer | Founded 2017; years of development before AI narrative boom |
| Real Enterprise Partnerships | BMW, Bosch, Datarella — not just crypto partnerships |
| ASI Alliance Scale | Merged token combines 3 major decentralised AI projects |
| Agentverse Platform | Hosted agent deployment; no infrastructure required |
| Cambridge AI Roots | Founded by UK AI researchers with genuine ML credentials |
| Multi-Agent Innovation | Unique agent-to-agent economy not replicated elsewhere at same scale |
Disadvantages & Risks
| Risk | Detail |
| Speculative AI Narrative | Price highly correlated with general AI hype cycle, not just adoption |
| Token Merger Uncertainty | ASI merger creates uncertainty around tokenomics and governance |
| Competition | Many AI + blockchain projects; technical moats hard to maintain |
| AGI Timeline Risk | Decentralised AGI is extremely long-term; short-term utility may be limited |
| Complex Technology | Multi-agent systems are genuinely complex; enterprise adoption slow |
| Market Cap vs. Usage | Token market cap often ahead of actual agent network utilisation |
Risk Management Tips:
- Treat FET/ASI as a high-beta AI infrastructure bet; highly correlated with AI market sentiment
- Monitor actual Agentverse usage metrics and agent deployments as adoption indicators
- The ASI merger’s long-term tokenomics implications require careful analysis
The Future: ASI Alliance & Unified Governance (2025-2026)
The merger of Fetch.ai, SingularityNET, and Ocean Protocol is more than a token swap; it is the creation of a vertical AI stack.
- The Three Pillars of ASI:
- Fetch.ai (The Arms): Provides the Autonomous Economic Agents that execute tasks.
- SingularityNET (The Brain): Provides the AI Services and AGI models (including the OpenCog Hyperon framework).
- Ocean Protocol (The Fuel): Provides the Data Sharing and Monetization layer to train the models.
- Unified Governance: As of 2026, the Alliance is governed by a Joint Council chaired by Humayun Sheikh and Ben Goertzel. FET/ASI token holders now vote on “Mission Proposals” that determine which AGI research projects receive funding from the multi-billion dollar community treasury.
- The “Compute” Layer: In late 2025, the Alliance announced a massive investment in decentralized GPU clusters, allowing Fetch.ai agents to not only negotiate trades but also “rent” the raw computing power needed to run heavy LLMs (Large Language Models) directly on-chain.
Technical Status Summary (Feb 2026):
- Token Status: Phase 2 Migration complete. FET is the functional ticker for the unified ASI ecosystem.
- Staking: Users can now stake FET on the Fetch Ledger to secure the entire ASI Alliance network, earning “Triple-Threat” rewards derived from agent activity across all three original platforms.
FAQ
Q: What is the ASI token?
A: ASI (Artificial Superintelligence Alliance token) is the merged token of Fetch.ai (FET), SingularityNET (AGIX), and Ocean Protocol (OCEAN). All three tokens are being migrated to ASI, creating a unified token for the largest decentralised AI ecosystem.
Q: How do Fetch.ai agents actually work?
A: Agents are Python-based programs that run on the Agentverse platform or locally. They use Fetch.ai’s uAgents framework, register on the Agent Name Service (ANS), and communicate via secure messaging. They can hold FET/ASI wallets and transact autonomously.
Q: Is Fetch.ai the same as OpenAI or regular AI?
A: No. OpenAI builds centralised AI models (ChatGPT). Fetch.ai builds decentralised infrastructure for AI agents that can operate autonomously, transact on blockchain, and collaborate in multi-agent systems. The philosophies are different: centralised AI service vs. decentralised AI economy.
Q: What is federated learning?
A: Federated learning (CoLearn in Fetch.ai) trains AI models across multiple data sources without centralising the data. Each participant trains a local model on their private data; only model parameters (not the data) are shared. The blockchain coordinates collaboration and rewards participants.
Q: Why did Fetch.ai, SingularityNET, and Ocean Protocol merge?
A: The three teams believed that combining autonomous agents (Fetch.ai), AI model marketplace (SingularityNET), and data marketplace (Ocean Protocol) creates a complete stack for decentralised AGI development. The merger also consolidates community, liquidity, and developer attention.
Sources
- Fetch.ai: fetch.ai
- Agentverse: agentverse.ai
- ASI Alliance: superintelligence.io
- CoinGecko FET: coingecko.com/en/coins/fetch-ai
- Fetch.ai research: fetch.ai/papers
UPay Tip: Fetch.ai/ASI represents one of the most technically credible AI + blockchain projects — built by actual AI researchers with real enterprise deployments, not just a token with “AI” in the name. The ASI Alliance merger creates unique scale in decentralised AI. For AI-themed crypto exposure, ASI offers a diversified bet across agents, AI models, and data. UPay supports FET/ASI deposits and trading.
Disclaimer: This glossary entry is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry significant risk. Always conduct your own research before investing.
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