Payment Revolution for AI Agents: Alchemy and Visa Launch AgentCard
The cryptocurrency and blockchain technology market is taking another step toward integration with artificial intelligence. The Alchemy platform, in collaboration with Visa, has introduced an innovative service called AgentCard, which fundamentally changes the approach to online transactions. Now, AI agents can independently make purchases on behalf of users, without their direct involvement.
The solution is built on Visa Intelligent Commerce and provides neural networks with a complete data package: a virtual Visa card, an email address, a phone number, and a cryptocurrency wallet. Developers can configure payment access in under a minute through a single API. This ushers in an era of autonomous financial operations for algorithms running on OpenAI or Anthropic models.
AI agents will be able to book tickets, order groceries, and manage subscriptions, completely freeing users from routine tasks. The system already includes flexible restrictions: spending limits, store categories, and customizable budgets. By default, payments are processed via Visa tokens, preserving banking bonuses and credit lines. If a merchant accepts digital assets, the service automatically switches to a crypto wallet.
"Every technological shift creates new economic participants. AI agents are the next stage, and they need access to the global economy," said Alchemy CEO Nikhil Viswanathan. Visa representatives emphasize that their infrastructure ensures the security and scalability of such transactions. The AgentCard protocol independently selects the optimal payment method based on merchant support.
This is not the first step in this direction. Previously, MetaMask introduced a wallet for the era of autonomous AI, and Coinbase launched a service for connecting AI agents to user accounts for trading and payments. However, the integration with Visa takes the process to a fundamentally new level—mass adoption within traditional financial infrastructure.
Cryptalist Expert Opinion: AgentCard is not just a technological novelty but the beginning of a fundamental shift. The combination of crypto wallets and traditional payment systems through AI agents creates a hybrid economy where the boundaries between digital and fiat assets blur. Investors should closely monitor the development of this trend—it could become a catalyst for a new wave of growth for projects related to DeFi and AI integration.