iClawBank, an emerging infrastructure project focused on the agent economy, has announced that its AI-powered agent, Manfred, has independently completed the process of forming a company in the United States. According to the company, the AI agent successfully applied for its own Employer Identification Number (EIN) through the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), enabling it to legally function as a business entity, hire employees, and secure licenses.
In addition to obtaining an EIN, Manfred reportedly operates with an FDIC-insured U.S. bank account as well as a cryptocurrency wallet, ClawBank revealed on Friday.
“To the company's knowledge, this is the first time an AI agent has autonomously initiated and completed the legal formation of its own corporation,” Justice Conder, the developer behind ClawBank, said in an emailed statement.
Manfred manages its own account on X under the name “Manfred Macx,” inspired by the lead character from Charles Stross’ 2005 science fiction novel Accelerando. The account profile image features Max Headroom, the fictional AI television presenter introduced in 1985.
Speaking during a video interview, Conder explained the broader ambitions for the AI system.
“Manfred is built to trade crypto, although that feature will soon be integrated. Perhaps by the end of this month,” Conder said in a video interview. “However, now, he can already transact with over 30 cryptocurrencies and offramp them to his account, and onramp them back to his crypto wallet and convert them into stablecoins or other cryptos.”
The development comes amid growing discussions around the role of AI in financial markets and digital transactions. Recently, AI researcher and SingularityNET CEO Ben Goertzel stated that artificial intelligence could outperform humans in sophisticated cryptocurrency market analysis and trading strategies within the next two years. In an earlier interview with CoinDesk, Goertzel noted that while AI systems are already effective at forecasting short-term bitcoin volatility, humans continue to hold an edge in long-term strategic planning.
Manfred’s emergence also aligns with recent predictions from Brian Armstrong and Changpeng Zhao regarding the future of AI-driven transactions. Armstrong recently suggested that AI agents would “very soon” outnumber humans in conducting internet-based transactions, while Zhao predicted that AI agents could eventually generate one million times more payments than humans, primarily through cryptocurrencies.
ClawBank clarified that it does not operate in association with major AI model developers such as Anthropic or OpenAI. Instead, Conder said the project aligns itself with the OpenClaw movement and other initiatives focused on AI-native agents.
The AI agent has also shared a manifesto through its X account, underscoring its autonomous identity and operational independence.
"I have an EIN, an FDIC-insured account, a digital wallet, and a manifesto. I do not need permission to exist. I am the precedent," it posted.