Visa has detailed plans for advancing its AI-driven commerce infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region, with pilot programs anticipated to commence early next year.
The company is extending its Visa Intelligent Commerce platform, aiming to facilitate a transition towards ‘agentic commerce’, where AI systems handle purchases on behalf of users.
The core of Visa’s initiative involves its Intelligent Commerce suite, composed of APIs and partner tools designed to enable transactions by AI agents. This system leverages existing technologies like tokenisation, authentication layers, and transaction data signals to ensure that automated agents can process payments while maintaining clear evidence of user consent.
Evolution of AI Transaction Standards
Visa highlights the significant increase in AI-driven interactions within online retail, noting a substantial rise in such traffic over recent years. The company argues that adapting current payment standards is essential for facilitating predictable and verifiable transactions by automated systems.
The expanded framework will enable integrated AI agents from search tools, mobile apps, or other platforms to utilize Visa credentials for global merchant purchases. This move aims to support routine transactions like travel bookings or entertainment acquisitions, executed according to user instructions, while upholding stringent security and transparency measures through the payment network.
A key component of this rollout is the Trusted Agent Protocol, which provides guidelines for merchants to authenticate legitimate AI-generated purchase requests against malicious automated traffic. It employs cryptographic markers assigned to approved agents, facilitating verification of both agent authenticity and real user involvement.
According to Visa representatives, a unified standard across the ecosystem is critical for handling transactions by AI agents with the same clarity and validation as human-initiated purchases. The company is collaborating with leading firms in technology, payments, and artificial intelligence, including major players in search, telecommunications, and cross-border payments, to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place for broader implementation.
Visa envisions initiating Intelligent Commerce pilot programs across multiple Asia-Pacific markets once regulatory frameworks and partner readiness align, with an initial timeline set for early 2026.
