Binance-backed BNB Chain is making major changes to its blockchain with an ambitious goal of handling 1 million transactions per second (TPS). The network also plans to introduce built-in privacy features as it looks to attract both traditional financial institutions and the growing market for AI-powered applications.
The announcement comes as BNB Chain faces challenges. According to CryptoSlate, the price of BNB has fallen more than 35% this year to around $563, its lowest level since October 2024. Network activity has also slowed, with BNB Chain transactions dropping 12.5% in the first quarter of the year. During the same period, Solana and Ethereum recorded transaction growth of 46.4% and 38%, respectively.
To improve its position, BNB Chain is expanding beyond consumer-focused applications. Developers are building infrastructure designed to support high-frequency trading and machine-to-machine payments.
Focusing on the AI Economy
One of the biggest reasons behind the upgrade is the expected growth of AI agents—autonomous software that can complete financial transactions without human involvement.
Although the AI payment market is still small, it is growing. A report from Keyrock estimates that AI agents processed around $73 million through 176 million blockchain transactions between May 2025 and April 2026.
Major companies, including Google, Coinbase, and Visa, are already developing their own AI payment systems. The idea is that AI agents will increasingly purchase digital services automatically through thousands of small transactions. However, current payment systems and many blockchains are not built to handle that level of activity.
Because of this, McKinsey estimates that AI-driven retail commerce could reach $5 trillion by the end of the decade.
To prepare for this opportunity, BNB Chain recently introduced BNB Agent Studio and a software development kit (SDK). These tools allow developers to build autonomous AI agents that can make blockchain payments using integrations with large language models and cloud platforms such as AWS Bedrock.
Adding Native Privacy Features
BNB Chain is also working to improve privacy on its network.
Most public blockchains allow anyone to view wallet balances, transaction histories, and trading activity. While this transparency supports auditing and market monitoring, it can also expose sensitive financial information.
This has become a growing concern as more institutions move assets onto blockchain networks. Companies handling tokenized assets, investment funds moving collateral, or market makers managing liquidity may not want their balances or transaction routes to be publicly visible.
To address this issue, BNB Chain is developing confidential transactions and selective disclosure. These features will allow users to keep sensitive information private while still sharing the data required for audits, regulatory compliance, and reporting.
