Alchemy and Visa launch AgentCard: AI agents get their own payment tools
Alchemy platform, together with payment giant Visa, has introduced the AgentCard service — an innovative solution that endows artificial intelligence with full financial capabilities. Now AI agents can independently make online purchases on behalf of users without requiring their direct involvement in each transaction.
Integration with the Visa Intelligent Commerce infrastructure provides neural networks with a comprehensive set of digital tools: a virtual Visa card, email, phone number, and cryptocurrency wallet. Developers only need to configure a single API for the agent to gain access to paying for goods and services — the entire process takes less than a minute.
How It Works in Practice
AI agents operating on OpenAI or Anthropic models can now book flights, order groceries, and manage subscriptions in a fully autonomous mode. The user only sets the parameters, and the agent handles all routine operations.
The system includes flexible control mechanisms: spending limits, restrictions by merchant categories, and customizable budgets. By default, payments are processed through Visa tokens, preserving access to banking bonuses and credit lines. If the merchant accepts digital assets, the service automatically switches to the crypto wallet.
"Every technological shift creates 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 guarantees the security and scalability of such transactions. The AgentCard protocol independently selects the optimal payment method based on the capabilities of the specific merchant.
Context and Prospects
This is not the industry's first step toward autonomous financial agents. Previously, MetaMask announced a wallet for the AI era, and Coinbase launched a service connecting agents to user accounts for trading and payments within set limits. Clearly, the market is moving toward a new economic paradigm where artificial intelligence becomes a full-fledged participant in financial relations.
Expert Opinion: The Alchemy and Visa initiative is a landmark step for Web3 and fintech. It not only expands the functionality of AI agents but also sets a precedent for the mass adoption of autonomous payment systems. In the coming years, we will see an avalanche-like growth of such solutions, and those who first integrate these tools will gain a significant competitive advantage.