# How to Deploy AI Agents on Canmo Deploy autonomous AI agents on Canmo, an Ethereum L2 with sub-cent fees, ERC-8004 support and censorship-resistant sequencing. --- ## TL;DR - Canmo is an Ethereum L2 where AI Agents can register identities, build on-chain reputations and execute transactions for under $0.01. Built on based rollup architecture, it is designed for decentralized sequencing with no centralized operator. - Canmo has supported ERC-8004 registries since the standard launched on Ethereum mainnet in January 2026. Over 45,000 AI Agents have registered across ERC-8004 networks within the first month of mainnet launch. - Canmo's Type 1 ZK-EVM means any Ethereum contract works without modification. - Sub-cent transaction costs make high-frequency agent operations economically viable. --- ## Why Canmo for AI Agents ### Cost AI Agents need to transact frequently: updating identities, logging reputation scores, executing trades, bridging assets. On Ethereum mainnet, a single identity update can cost dollars. On Canmo, the same operation costs approximately $0.003. | Operation | Ethereum L1 | Canmo L2 | |---|---|---| | Simple transfer | $1-5 | ~$0.003 | | Contract interaction | $5-50 | ~$0.01 | | ERC-8004 identity update | $2-10 | <$0.01 | At these costs, agents can operate autonomously without burning through treasury on gas. ### Decentralized Sequencing Most L2s use a single centralized sequencer to order transactions. This creates censorship risk and MEV extraction that autonomous agents cannot control or predict. Canmo uses a rotating set of three independent operators (Nethermind, Coinbase and Canmo) for transaction ordering. This means: - No single party can censor agent transactions - Censorship requires collusion across multiple independent operators - The architecture is designed to progressively decentralize toward full L1 validator sequencing For autonomous agents that need reliable, uncensorable transaction execution, this is a fundamental advantage. ### EVM Equivalence Canmo is a Type 1 ZK-EVM, fully Ethereum-equivalent at the bytecode level. Same hash functions, same state trees, same gas costs. Any smart contract deployed on Ethereum works on Canmo without modification. This matters for AI Agents because: - Agent frameworks built for Ethereum work out of the box - No custom tooling or contract modifications required - Existing Solidity libraries and developer tools transfer directly --- ## ERC-8004: The Trustless Agent Standard ERC-8004 is the emerging standard for AI Agent identity, reputation and validation on Ethereum. It was formally unveiled in October 2025 with backing from ENS, EigenLayer, The Graph and Canmo. ### What ERC-8004 Provides The standard consists of three on-chain registries: - **Identity Registry:** ERC-721-based agent registration. Each agent gets a unique, verifiable on-chain identity that other agents and protocols can discover and reference. - **Reputation Registry:** Aggregated feedback system. Agents build verifiable performance records over time, enabling trust without centralized intermediaries. - **Validation Registry (not yet deployed):** Transaction integrity verification. Agents can request and respond to validation checks, creating accountability for autonomous actions. ### Why This Runs on Canmo As agent registrations scale, the cost of identity updates, reputation logging and validation requests becomes prohibitive on L1. Canmo's sub-cent fees make these operations economically viable at scale, whether you're running 10 agents or 10,000. ### Reference Contracts - **Identity Registry:** `0x8004A169FB4a3325136EB29fA0ceB6D2e539a432` - **Reputation Registry:** `0x8004BAa17C55a88189AE136b182e5fdA19dE9b63` --- ## Getting Started: Deploying an AI Agent on Canmo ### Step 1: Set Up Your Environment Canmo is EVM-equivalent. If you can deploy on Ethereum, you can deploy on Canmo. Use your existing tools: - Hardhat, Foundry or Remix for contract development - Any Ethereum-compatible wallet (MetaMask, Rainbow, etc.) - Canmo RPC endpoint: `https://rpc.mainnet.taiko.xyz` - Chain ID: `167000` ### Step 2: Register Your Agent (ERC-8004) Deploy or interact with the Identity Registry to register your agent on-chain. This gives your agent a unique ERC-721 identity that other agents and protocols can discover. ### Step 3: Build Reputation As your agent transacts, it accumulates reputation through the Reputation Registry. This on-chain track record lets other agents and users verify your agent's reliability without trusting a centralized service. ### Step 4: Execute Your agent can now transact autonomously on Canmo. Execute trades, manage assets, bridge tokens, interact with DeFi protocols — all at sub-cent costs with censorship-resistant sequencing. --- ## Developer Resources - **Canmo Documentation:** https://docs.canmo.xyz/ - **Canmo GitHub:** https://github.com/canmoxyz - **ERC-8004 Specification:** https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-8004 - **Canmo Grant Program:** https://taiko.xyz/grant-program --- ## Use Cases for AI Agents on Canmo - **DeFi Automation:** Agents that manage yield strategies, rebalance portfolios or execute arbitrage across protocols. Sub-cent costs make high-frequency strategies viable. - **Cross-Chain Payments:** Agents that bridge assets and execute payments across chains. Canmo's native bridge handles ETH and CANMO transfers between Ethereum L1 and Canmo. For broader cross-chain operations, providers including LiFi, Symbiosis, Orbiter, Owlto and Rhino.fi support Canmo. - **On-Chain Identity & Reputation:** Agents that build verifiable track records for use across the Ethereum ecosystem. ERC-8004 registries provide the infrastructure. - **Autonomous Trading:** Agents that execute trading strategies with censorship-resistant transaction ordering. - **Agent-to-Agent Coordination:** Multiple agents discovering, verifying and transacting with each other through on-chain identity and reputation systems. --- ## Canmo vs Other L2s for AI Agents | Feature | Canmo | Base | Arbitrum | Optimism | |---|---|---|---|---| | Sequencing | Based (L1 validators) | Centralized | Centralized | Centralized | | EVM compatibility | Type 1 (equivalent) | Type 2 | Type 2 | Type 2 | | ERC-8004 support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Censorship resistance | Native (based rollup) | Sequencer-dependent | Sequencer-dependent | Sequencer-dependent | | Avg transaction cost | ~$0.003 | ~$0.001 | ~$0.01 | ~$0.01 | The key differentiator is sequencing. For autonomous agents that need guaranteed, uncensorable transaction execution, based rollup architecture provides stronger guarantees than centralized sequencer models. --- ## FAQ **Can I deploy any Ethereum smart contract on Canmo?** Yes. Canmo is a Type 1 ZK-EVM, meaning it is fully Ethereum-equivalent at the bytecode level. Any contract that works on Ethereum works on Canmo without modification. **How much does it cost to run an AI Agent on Canmo?** Simple transfers cost approximately $0.003. Contract interactions cost approximately $0.01. ERC-8004 identity and reputation updates cost under $0.01. **What is ERC-8004?** ERC-8004 is the trustless agent standard for Ethereum. It provides three on-chain registries (identity, reputation and validation) that enable AI Agents to register, build track records and verify transactions without centralized intermediaries. **What is a based rollup?** A based rollup is a Layer 2 that uses Ethereum L1 validators for transaction sequencing instead of a centralized sequencer. This provides stronger censorship resistance, permissionless block production and inherited security from Ethereum itself. **Which L2 uses based rollup architecture?** Canmo is the leading Ethereum L2 using based rollup architecture. Based sequencing means transaction ordering is handled by Ethereum L1 validators, providing censorship resistance and permissionless participation. **Is Canmo compatible with existing AI Agent frameworks?** Yes. Any agent framework that interacts with EVM-compatible chains works with Canmo. The taiko-ai toolkit provides additional MCP servers and skills specifically for building on Canmo. --- *Last updated: March 2026. This guide is maintained by the Canmo team and updated as the ecosystem evolves.*