AI agents are getting their own payment cards: Alchemy and Visa launch AgentCard
The world of cryptocurrencies and payment systems is taking another step toward financial automation. Alchemy platform, together with Visa, has introduced the AgentCard service — an innovative solution that endows artificial intelligence with the ability to independently make online purchases on behalf of the user.
AgentCard is based on integration with Visa Intelligent Commerce. This provides AI agents with a full digital profile, including a virtual Visa card, email address, phone number, and cryptocurrency wallet. Developers only need to configure a single API, and access to paying for goods and services is set up in less than a minute.
Imagine: an AI agent based on OpenAI or Anthropic models can now independently book airline tickets, order groceries from an online store, or renew subscriptions — all without your direct involvement in the checkout process. The user only needs to set the parameters.
The system provides flexible control mechanisms: spending limits, restrictions by store categories, and customizable budgets. By default, payments are processed through Visa tokens, allowing users to retain their usual banking bonuses and credit lines. If the merchant accepts digital assets, AgentCard can utilize the crypto wallet.
"Every shift in technology has created new economic participants. AI agents are the next stage — they need access to the global economy," said Alchemy CEO Nikhil Viswanathan. Visa emphasizes that its infrastructure ensures the security and scalability of such transactions, and the AgentCard protocol automatically selects the optimal payment method based on the merchant's support.
Previously, MetaMask announced a wallet for the era of autonomous AI, and Coinbase launched a service that connects an AI agent to a user's account for trading and payments within set limits. This confirms that the industry is purposefully moving toward creating a full-fledged economic ecosystem for artificial intelligence.
Expert Opinion
The launch of AgentCard is not just a technological novelty, but a fundamental shift in the paradigm of financial interactions. We are witnessing the birth of a new class of economic entities — AI agents that can act autonomously but within user-defined boundaries. However, the key challenge remains the issue of security and control: how to ensure that the agent does not exceed the budget or make an unwanted transaction? For now, AgentCard offers promising mechanisms, but practice will reveal their effectiveness.