Alchemy and Visa launch AgentCard: AI agents get their own payment tools
Alchemy platform, together with payment giant Visa, has introduced the AgentCard service — a solution that fundamentally changes the paradigm of artificial intelligence's interaction with the financial system. Now, AI agents gain the full capability to make online purchases on behalf of users, without requiring their direct involvement in the process.
AgentCard is built on the Visa Intelligent Commerce infrastructure, providing neural networks with a complete set of necessary data: a virtual Visa card, an email address, a phone number, and a cryptocurrency wallet. Developers can configure the agent's access to payments through a single API in literally minutes. This is a revolutionary step that blurs the boundaries between autonomous algorithms and the real economy.
AI agents running on models from OpenAI or Anthropic gain the ability to book tickets, order groceries, and manage subscriptions. The user only sets the parameters, while the agent handles all routine operations. The system supports flexible spending limits, restrictions on store categories, and customizable budgets — this is critically important for security control.
By default, payments are processed through Visa tokens, preserving bank bonuses and credit lines. However, if the merchant accepts digital assets, AgentCard automatically switches to the crypto wallet. The protocol itself selects the optimal payment method based on merchant support.
As noted by Alchemy CEO Nikhil Viswanathan, every technological shift gives rise to new economic participants. AI agents are the next stage, and they vitally need access to the global economy. Visa confirms that their infrastructure guarantees the security and scalability of such transactions.
Earlier, MetaMask and Coinbase already announced similar solutions for autonomous AI, but integration with Visa gives this trend institutional weight. In my professional opinion, AgentCard is not just another product, but a foundation for a new era where algorithms become full-fledged market participants. We stand on the threshold where AI agents will cease to be tools and transform into independent economic actors.