Ethereum developers propose asset-level limits for AI-agent wallet safety

2 min

**Ethereum Devs Float Asset-Level Spend Limits for Delegated Wallets**

Ethereum developers are debating a proposal to embed spending limits directly into token contracts. The goal is to make delegated and AI-agent wallet transactions safer.

The draft, posted on the Ethereum Magicians forum, suggests *asset-enforced spend mandates* — rules coded into the token itself.

Limits could include:

Caps per transaction
Expiration dates
Allowed token lists
Mandate revocation

Unlike wallet-based controls, these rules travel with the token. Even if an ETH agent key is compromised, transfers beyond the mandate would be rejected.

The proposal also introduces machine-readable failure reasons — e.g., “mandate expired” or “amount exceeded cap” — instead of generic reverts.

AI-agent wallets handling portfolio rebalancing, Ethereum treasury payments, or DeFi interactions would gain enforceable, revocable boundaries.

It’s part of a broader set of safety primitives alongside account abstraction and regulated-token checks. Not a finalized ERC yet — still an early discussion that may evolve or be dropped.

For builders, the core question: should spend permissions live in wallets, apps, or directly in assets? This draft leans toward the asset layer.