A growing wave of recent research and market data suggests that the AI impact on trading could mark the definitive end of human speculation as we know it today. Financial analysts and crypto asset experts are now debating an alarming possibility: that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) will become the last market maker. This technological advancement would eliminate volatility and opportunities for traditional traders in the near future.
Currently, automation already dominates the financial landscape, with data from the firm Kaiko revealing that more than 70% of flow on exchanges like Binance is generated purely by algorithms. During recent booms, such as the memecoin surge on the Solana network, bots consistently outperformed humans thanks to their speed and lack of emotional bias. This trend demonstrates how profit margins evaporate quickly when machines take full control of order execution.
The crucial difference lies in the fact that current models are specific, whereas AGI could generalize tasks and learn from unrelated sources with minimal instruction. In financial markets, this would imply interpreting blockchain flows and geopolitical risks into a unified system capable of making real-time forecasts. The trading bot market is estimated to reach $75.5 billion by the year 2034, consolidating this technological transition toward total autonomy.
Does the perfect efficiency of AGI represent the definitive end of profitability for retail investors?
On the other hand, market theorists describe this potential scenario as the “Perfect Efficiency Paradox,” where absolute predictive capability nullifies competition. If an intelligent system can anticipate price direction with near-perfect accuracy, the market adjusts instantly. This would cause prices to move faster than human reaction, eliminating arbitrage and turning liquidity provision into a purely automated and non-competitive process.
Prominent industry figures like Arthur Hayes and Vitalik Buterin have warned that advanced systems will eventually operate better than any human in the global digital economy. Economist Alex Krüger describes a future of hyper-efficient markets with no room for human error, where retail participation becomes obsolete. This dynamic could create a liquidity black hole, where trading continues, but the competitive edge necessary for day trading ceases to exist completely.
Likewise, DWF Labs recently noted that AI-driven market makers will drastically increase liquidity, especially in smaller assets with thin order books. However, this efficiency comes at a cost for the discretionary trader. By eliminating market inefficiencies, the profit opportunities are also removed that human traders have historically exploited, leaving the playing field exclusively for entities with the best computational technology.
How will human oversight transform the role of traders in a machine-dominated environment?
As automation accelerates, the human role will not disappear entirely, but will change drastically toward risk supervision and regulatory compliance. Experts argue that execution will shift to autonomous systems that learn from outcomes without manual intervention. The future of trading will depend on the ability to manage these advanced tools, marking a new era where human intuition is relegated to interpreting exceptional events outside of the models.
To conclude, the arrival of AGI presents a horizon where market stability is maximized, but direct human participation is minimal. Although technology promises to eliminate manipulation and improve liquidity, it also threatens to close the door on individual wealth generation through trading. Markets are preparing for an irreversible transformation toward absolute efficiency, where only the most advanced systems will be able to survive and thrive.
