Alchemy and Visa launch AgentCard: AI agents get their own payment tools
Alchemy, in partnership with Visa, has introduced AgentCard — an innovative service that completely changes the paradigm of how artificial intelligence interacts with the financial system. Now, AI agents can independently make online purchases on behalf of the user, without their direct involvement in the transaction process.
How does it work?
The integration with Visa Intelligent Commerce provides neural networks with a full digital profile: a virtual Visa card, an email address, a phone number, and a cryptocurrency wallet. Developers only need to configure a single API, and the agent gains access to paying for goods and services in literally a minute. The system supports flexible spending limits, category restrictions, and customizable budgets — the user has full control over expenses.
Autonomous purchases without human involvement
AI agents running on OpenAI or Anthropic models will be able to book tickets, order groceries, renew subscriptions, and perform other routine operations. By default, payments are processed through Visa tokens, preserving bank bonuses and credit lines. If the merchant supports digital assets, the service automatically switches to the crypto wallet — the AgentCard protocol itself selects the optimal payment method.
Expert opinion
As I have repeatedly noted in my analyses, AI agents are not just another trend, but a fundamental shift in the economy. Alchemy and Visa have created an infrastructure that allows neural networks to become full-fledged participants in the global market. This opens up enormous opportunities for automation, but simultaneously raises questions about security and control. Personally, I believe that in the next 2-3 years, we will see mass adoption of such solutions, and AgentCard is just the first step in this direction.