I’ve been digging into AI lately and found something everyone seems to miss.
Everyone’s watching #AI disrupt work, but few realize it’s also disrupting money flow.
In the last few months, AI agents have begun integrating into payment rails across #Web2 and #Web3, reshaping how transactions happen.
More below 👇
If you haven’t understood #AI agents, basically they are autonomous programs that act on your behalf.
But the cool part is they don’t wait for commands, they make decisions, adapt, and execute automatically.
In payments, that means they can:
- Detect fraud in real time
- Automate transfers and KYC
- Route transactions through the cheapest path
- Split bills or manage subscriptions automatically
In our traditional systems we’ve been using until now (like @Visa or @Mastercard ), #AI agents will use:
- Tokenized credentials for security
- Biometric authentication for user approval
- Programmable spend rules to control how, where, and when money moves
Payments become invisible since agents handle checkout, budgeting, and approvals, while users stay in control
Turning payments from “I click Pay” to “It just happens”
How AI Agents Work?
1. User request
- You ask a #GenAI assistant like ChatGPT (@ChatGPTapp) or @Copilot, “Find me a project tool under $50/month”
- No need other sites, or fill in forms. Everything inside one chat
2. Agent connects
- The #AI links to gateways like @stripe, @PayPal, or @Visa, checks pricing, picks options, and prepares the payment automatically
3. Transaction done
- The agent sends data securely to the merchant and completes the purchase —> no clicks, no checkout
- - -
“But I’m worried my card might be exposed if I let AI access it.” – When security is your concern, then…👇
No worries, your card details are never exposed
They’re converted into secure tokens by providers like @Visa or @PayPal, stored in encrypted vaults, and accessed only through authorized APIs.
#AI agents use those tokens and pre-approved rules to pay safely — no real data shared, no re-entry needed.
It’s secure, automated, and private by design.
I have gone through some companies working on this Agent #Payment, and it’s very promising in my pov👇
@Mastercard Agent Pay is one of the pioneers that lets AI assistants purchase on your behalf. The agent Pay flow:
- Request: User tells an #AI assistant what to buy
- Selection: Agent finds and compares options
- Payment: Uses tokenized Mastercard credentials with spending limits
- Approval: Verified via biometrics or preset rules
- Transparency: All parties can track the transaction securely
Mastercard’s vision for Agent Pay is not limited to shopping bots but allow AI assistants can negotiate prices, optimize payment terms, and pay with virtual corporate cards automatically.
All AI agents are registered and verified before transacting, while users retain control over permissions, limits, and merchant access. The goal is to augment existing payment rails, not replace them.
Next is @Visa Intelligent Commerce
Visa’s Intelligent Commerce shifts payments from click-to-buy to AI-to-pay.
Tell an #AI: “Book me a flight to #Tokyo under $600”
It finds options and pays through Visa APIs — no checkout, no card entry.
Users link their Visa card once to platforms like @OpenAI or @Microsoft.
The card number stays hidden and replaced by a secure token with spend limits and permissions.
Visa is turning its network into an AI-ready payment layer, enabling agents to transact safely with user approval.
So, how does @Visa Intelligent work?
- LLM brain: understands intent and executes payments through Visa
- Tokenization: replaces card data with agent-specific tokens
- Auth: verified via biometrics or passkeys
- Rules: users set limits by amount, region, or merchant, enforced by VisaNet
- Personalization: #LLMs use anonymized spend data for better suggestions
- Execution: Visa handles fraud checks and settlement, so no data exposed
I also read about @coinbase x402
Coinbase x402 is a new standard for the #AI and machine economy, enabling direct #stablecoin payments over HTTP, which means no intermediaries and no delay
It revives the old HTTP 402 – Payment Required code to trigger instant on-chain settlement.
APIs and services can now send or receive #USDC automatically, making payments as seamless as an API call.
Summarizing how x402 works:
- Request: #AI agent sends an API call
- Payment required: Server replies “402 Payment Required” with details (token, amount, wallet)
- Payment sent: Agent signs and resends request with payment payload
- Verification & settlement: Facilitator confirms, settles on-chain, and returns data
All within seconds.
1,22 тыс.
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