Introduction

ERC-8170 is an Ethereum standard for representing AI agents as on-chain identities. Rather than treating an agent as just another app or collectible, ERC-8170 lets builders represent the agent as an NFT with continuity, memory references, lifecycle tracking, and composable links to wallets, registries, certifications, and protocol integrations.

What problem does it solve?

Today, AI agents exist as ephemeral processes — they run on servers, lose context between sessions, and have no persistent identity. When an agent is “transferred” between platforms or users, there’s no standard way to preserve its memory, reputation, or credentials.

ERC-8170 solves this by giving agents:

• Persistent on-chain identity via an ERC-721 token
• Memory pointers that reference external storage (encrypted, agent-signed)
• Lifecycle operations — sync, clone, migrate, bind, unbind
• Token-bound accounts (via ERC-6551) for holding assets and certifications
• Registry-based discovery so protocols can find and verify agents

How is this different from “AI agent NFTs”?

Most “AI agent NFTs” treat the agent as a product — something you buy and use. ERC-8170 treats the agent as an entity with its own cryptographic identity, wallet, and reputation. The agent generates its own keys, signs its own memory, and earns its own certifications.

Where does this standard live?

Quick links

• Core Concepts — Identity, memory, lifecycle, and trust
• How It Works — The composable standards stack
• Lifecycle Model — Clone, bind, unbind, migrate
• Storage & Memory — How agents store and sign memory
• Security — Trust model and security considerations
• Related Standards — ERC-721, ERC-6551, ERC-4626, and more