Most crypto companies still can't access cutting-edge AI models. A handful of players have gotten through, but the rest are locked out by labs that restrict who can use their most powerful systems.
Executives in the space argue the restrictions made sense initially. You can't let just anyone tinker with frontier models, the thinking went. But that logic is already falling apart. Open-source alternatives are becoming capable enough that closed-door access feels less like a moat and more like a speed bump.
The gap between what the leading labs keep behind paywalls and what's freely available keeps narrowing. When Chinese labs flood the market with massive models, the idea of gatekeeping starts to look quaint. Crypto firms that need AI tools for trading, risk modeling, or protocol analysis can't afford to wait for invites that may never come. They'll build with what they can access.
The real question isn't whether restrictions will hold, but how long it takes for the industry to shift entirely to open alternatives. That day looks closer than the labs would like.
