Alchemy and Visa launch AgentCard: AI agents get their own payment methods
Blockchain infrastructure platform Alchemy, together with payment giant Visa, has introduced a new service called AgentCard, designed for autonomous AI agents. This solution allows neural networks to make online purchases on behalf of the user, completely bypassing their involvement in the checkout process.
The integration with Visa Intelligent Commerce provides agents with a full set of identification credentials: a virtual Visa card, an email address, a phone number, and a cryptocurrency wallet. Developers can configure payment access through a single API in literally a minute. Agents operating on OpenAI or Anthropic models can now book tickets, order groceries, and renew subscriptions.
The system supports flexible spending limits, restrictions by store categories, and customizable budgets. By default, payments are processed through Visa tokens, preserving the user's bank bonuses and credit lines. If the merchant accepts digital assets, the service uses the crypto wallet. The AgentCard protocol automatically selects the optimal payment method.
Alchemy CEO Nikhil Viswanathan emphasized: "Every shift in technology has created new economic participants. AI agents are the next stage, and they need access to the global economy." Visa, for its part, guarantees the security and scalability of such transactions on its infrastructure.
Earlier, similar steps were taken by MetaMask and Coinbase. MetaMask announced a wallet for the era of autonomous AI, and Coinbase launched a service that connects an agent to a user's account for trading and payments within set limits. Estonia also announced the creation of digital IDs for AI agents.
My expert perspective: AgentCard is not just another integration project, but a fundamental step toward building a full-fledged economy for AI agents. While the market is focused on consumer cryptocurrency solutions, Alchemy and Visa are laying the infrastructure for the next stage of financial flow automation, where agents will become independent economic entities.