Alchemy and Visa launch AgentCard: AI agents get their own payment tools
Web3 infrastructure platform Alchemy, together with payment giant Visa, has introduced an innovative solution — AgentCard. This service radically changes the paradigm of artificial intelligence interaction with the financial system, enabling AI agents to independently conduct online transactions on behalf of users.
At the core of AgentCard is integration with Visa Intelligent Commerce, which endows neural networks with a full-fledged digital identity. The agent's data set includes a virtual Visa card, an email address, a phone number, and a cryptocurrency wallet. Developers can configure access to pay for goods and services through a single API in just a few tens of seconds.
AI agents operating on models from OpenAI or Anthropic gain the ability to perform a wide range of tasks: from booking airline tickets and ordering groceries to automatically renewing subscriptions. The key advantage is the complete absence of any need for user involvement in the transaction process.
The system includes flexible control mechanisms: spending limits, restrictions by store categories, and customizable budgets. By default, all payments are processed through Visa tokens, allowing users to retain bank bonuses and credit lines. However, if the merchant supports digital assets, AgentCard can automatically switch to using a crypto wallet.
As noted by Alchemy CEO Nikil Viswanathan, every technological shift in history has created new economic participants. AI agents are the next stage, and they critically need access to the global economy. Visa, for its part, guarantees the security and scalability of such transactions through its proven infrastructure.
Interestingly, similar initiatives were previously announced by MetaMask (a wallet for the era of autonomous AI) and Coinbase (a service for connecting AI agents to user accounts). However, AgentCard from Alchemy and Visa appears to be the most well-developed solution, especially in terms of integration with the traditional financial system.
Expert commentary: The launch of AgentCard is not just another product, but a fundamental step toward creating an economy of autonomous agents. I expect that in the next 12-18 months, we will see explosive growth in the number of transactions initiated by AI, which will require a revision of regulatory norms and security standards in the crypto industry.