Alchemy and Visa launch AgentCard: AI agents get their own payment tools
Blockchain infrastructure platform Alchemy, together with payment giant Visa, has launched the AgentCard solution — the first full-fledged service for autonomous online transactions on behalf of users, executed by artificial intelligence. This is not just another tool, but a fundamental shift: AI agents are ceasing to be passive advisors and are transforming into active economic entities.
The essence of the solution lies in its integration with Visa Intelligent Commerce, which equips the neural network with a complete set of digital credentials: a virtual Visa card, email address, phone number, and cryptocurrency wallet. Through a unified API, developers can configure the agent's access to pay for goods and services in literally minutes. This means that agents based on OpenAI or Anthropic models can now independently book airline tickets, order groceries, or renew subscriptions — without human involvement in the process.
Security and flexibility at the protocol level
The AgentCard system includes customizable spending limits, restrictions by merchant category, and budgets. By default, all payments are processed through Visa tokens, preserving the user's bank bonuses and credit lines. However, when paying at merchants that accept digital assets, the service automatically switches to a crypto wallet. The protocol itself selects the optimal payment method — this is critically important for a hybrid economy where fiat and crypto coexist.
"Every shift in technology has created new economic participants. AI agents are the next stage — they need access to the global economy," said Alchemy CEO Nikhil Viswanathan. Visa's Vice President of Intelligent Commerce added that the company's infrastructure ensures the security and scalability of such transactions.
Context: the race for autonomous finance
This is not the industry's first step in this direction. Previously, MetaMask announced a wallet for the era of autonomous AI, and Coinbase introduced a service connecting agents to user accounts for trading and payments within set limits. However, AgentCard from Alchemy and Visa is the first instance where traditional Tier-1 payment infrastructure is integrated with decentralized finance at the protocol level.
My expert opinion: This event marks the beginning of the era of the "agent economy," where AI will be not just an assistant but a full-fledged market participant. The key challenge here is not technology, but trust and control. Users must be confident that autonomous agents will not exceed budgets or make unwanted transactions. The system of limits and category restrictions is a good start, but in the long term, more complex verification mechanisms based on smart contracts and decentralized identity will be required.