Alchemy and Visa launch AgentCard: AI agents gain access to global payments
The market for crypto assets and traditional finance is taking another step toward merging with artificial intelligence. Platform Alchemy, together with payment giant Visa, has introduced the AgentCard solution — a service that allows AI agents to independently make online purchases on behalf of users. This is not just an update, but a fundamental shift in the logic of economic interactions.
The integration with Visa Intelligent Commerce equips neural networks with a full set of digital identifiers: a virtual Visa card, an email address, a phone number, and a cryptocurrency wallet. Developers need just one API request to connect an agent to paying for goods and services within a minute. Models from OpenAI and Anthropic are supported, making the solution universal for most modern AI systems.
How it works
AI agents gain the ability to book tickets, order groceries, or renew subscriptions without human involvement. The system is flexibly configurable: spending limits, restrictions by store categories, and personalized budgets. By default, payments are processed through Visa tokens, preserving bank bonuses and credit lines. If the merchant accepts cryptocurrencies, AgentCard automatically switches to using the digital wallet.
Alchemy CEO Nikhil Viswanathan emphasizes that every technological shift creates new economic participants. Artificial intelligence is the next stage, and it critically needs direct access to the global economy. Visa, for its part, guarantees transaction security and scalability.
Previously, MetaMask announced a wallet for the era of autonomous AI, and Coinbase launched a service connecting agents to user accounts for trading and payments. The AgentCard from Alchemy and Visa is a logical continuation of this trend, but with a focus on mass adoption through traditional payment infrastructure.
My view: This is not just an experiment, but a real step toward decentralizing consumer behavior. In the next 2-3 years, we will see AI agents become full-fledged market participants, managing budgets and making transactions faster and more efficiently than humans. The issue of security and control will remain key, but the potential for the crypto economy here is enormous.