AI agents and stablecoins reshape global payroll, says Papaya Global CEO

AI agents cut costs but raise tax questions

In a recent episode of the WRAP UP podcast, Eynat Guez, CEO and co-founder of Papaya Global, explained that the company’s workforce management platform has morphed into a global payments business handling close to $50 billion annually Fintech Wrap Up (Sam Boboev). She disclosed that Papaya has reduced its human marketing team by roughly half while tripling its use of AI agents. Guez predicts that employees will soon manage multiple AI agents and that governments could eventually levy taxes based on AI token consumption, a prospect that would reshape payroll accounting.

Stablecoins move from niche to mainstream payroll

Papaya is already routing international payments over stablecoin rails, and Guez projects that stablecoin-based payroll could account for 30–40% of cross-border transfers within two years. The firm’s “Banco” offering aims to function as a new kind of bank for the workforce, and a partnership with eToro adds savings and investment options for workers. These moves signal a shift away from traditional banking infrastructure toward programmable, low-cost digital assets.

Trust gaps keep AI out of payment execution

Despite confidence in AI’s capabilities, Guez refuses to grant AI agents direct access to payment systems, citing reliability and security concerns.

Our read: Papaya’s data-driven AI rollout demonstrates tangible cost reductions, yet the firm’s cautious approach to AI-executed payments highlights lingering risk and compliance hurdles. The aggressive stablecoin adoption timeline suggests a near-term reallocation of payroll flows, positioning Papaya as a testbed for broader industry transformation.