Alchemy and Visa launch AgentCard: AI agents get their own payment tools
Blockchain infrastructure platform Alchemy, together with payment giant Visa, has introduced an innovative service called AgentCard. This solution marks a new stage in the integration of artificial intelligence into the global financial system, enabling AI agents to independently make online purchases on behalf of users.
Complete toolkit for autonomous agents
The integration with Visa Intelligent Commerce equips neural networks with a full digital profile: a virtual Visa card, an email address, a phone number, and a cryptocurrency wallet. Developers need just one API request to configure the agent's payment capabilities in under a minute. This radically simplifies the process of embedding AI into everyday financial operations.
How it works in practice
AI agents running on models from OpenAI or Anthropic gain the ability to book tickets, order groceries, renew subscriptions, and perform other routine tasks without direct user involvement. A built-in control system allows setting spending limits, restrictions by store category, and customizable budgets. By default, transactions are processed through Visa tokens, preserving access to banking bonuses and credit lines. If the merchant accepts digital assets, the service can automatically switch to a crypto wallet.
"Every technological shift has created new economic participants. AI agents are the next stage, and they need access to the global economy," noted Alchemy CEO Nikhil Viswanathan.
Visa representatives emphasize that their infrastructure ensures the security and scalability of such transactions. The AgentCard protocol automatically selects the optimal payment method based on merchant support.
This is not the industry's first step toward autonomous AI finance. Previously, MetaMask announced a wallet for the era of artificial intelligence, and Coinbase launched a service connecting an AI agent to a user's account for trading and payments within set limits.
My analysis: AgentCard from Alchemy and Visa is not just another product but a strategic bridge between decentralized finance and traditional payment infrastructure. I see here the beginning of a new class of economic entities—autonomous AI agents that will manage real money. Security and control issues remain key, but the potential for automating global commerce is enormous. The cryptocurrency market should closely monitor this trend: it could radically change the demand structure for digital assets.