Payment networks
Visa and Mastercard: the card networks enter agentic commerce.
Card networks add the identity, tokenization and settlement layer a delegated buyer needs. An overview of Visa Intelligent Commerce and Mastercard Agent Pay, and how they fit with the protocols.
The 30-second summary
- Visa Intelligent Commerce: connects agents to the card network; integrated into OpenAI experiences since June 2026.
- Mastercard Agent Pay: agent-initiated payments; extended by Agent Pay for Machines (AP4M).
- Role: agent identity, tokens, fraud, settlement, complementing protocols (AP2, UCP, ACP).
- Already live: Mastercard in production in Singapore and Malaysia.
Why the networks matter
An authorization protocol like AP2 says how to prove consent, but settlement still runs overwhelmingly through the card networks. Visa and Mastercard provide what a delegated buyer needs: agent identity, tokenized credentials, fraud defense and guardrails. Established
Visa vs Mastercard, on the agentic side
| Dimension | Visa Intelligent Commerce | Mastercard Agent Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | Visa Intelligent Commerce, April 2025 | Mastercard Agent Pay, 2025 |
| Mechanism | Tokenized credentials, real-time authorization, fraud monitoring | Agent-initiated payments, delegated identity and trust |
| June 2026 extension | Integration into OpenAI experiences (June 10) | Agent Pay for Machines (AP4M), agent-to-agent transactions (June 10) |
| Tools / partners | Agent Score, Agentic Directory, Large Transaction Model, Trusted Agent Protocol | Checkout.com, Cloudflare, Coinbase, Ripple, Stripe |
| Deployment | Via OpenAI surfaces (timing unspecified) | Live in Singapore and Malaysia |
The June 2026 OpenAI-Visa partnership
At the Visa Payments Forum on June 10, 2026, Visa and OpenAI announced the integration of Visa Intelligent Commerce into OpenAI experiences: tokenized Visa credentials, real-time authorization, and user-defined guardrails (spend cap, merchant categories, human approval). Visa also unveiled new tools, including Agent Score (assessing a merchant's agentic readiness), an Agentic Directory of verified agents and merchants, and a Large Transaction Model for fraud. Established
Networks and protocols: who does what
Networks do not replace protocols, they fit alongside them. Authorization belongs to AP2, commerce operations to UCP or ACP, and settlement to the networks. Visa announced it is aligning its Trusted Agent Protocol with OpenAI's protocol, illustrating this convergence. For the full rail picture, see agentic payments. Emerging
What it changes for a merchant
For merchants, these schemes target trust: knowing an agent is verified, and that a transaction is authorized and traceable. The merchant remains the seller of record, and the prerequisite is still a machine-readable offer. See the implementation guide and the audit methodology.
Frequently asked questions
01 What is the difference between Visa Intelligent Commerce and Mastercard Agent Pay?
What is the difference between Visa Intelligent Commerce and Mastercard Agent Pay?
Both are capability portfolios to connect AI agents to the card network. Visa Intelligent Commerce emphasizes tokenized credentials, real-time authorization and a partnership with OpenAI (June 2026). Mastercard Agent Pay covers agent-initiated payments and was extended by Agent Pay for Machines (AP4M) for agent-to-agent transactions.
02 Do the networks replace protocols like AP2 or UCP?
Do the networks replace protocols like AP2 or UCP?
No, they complement them. AP2 standardizes authorization, UCP and ACP standardize commerce operations. Networks add agent identity, tokenization, fraud defense and settlement. Visa announced it is aligning its Trusted Agent Protocol with OpenAI's protocol.
03 What does the June 2026 OpenAI-Visa partnership change?
What does the June 2026 OpenAI-Visa partnership change?
Announced on June 10, 2026 at the Visa Payments Forum, it integrates Visa Intelligent Commerce into OpenAI experiences: tokenized Visa credentials, real-time authorization and user-defined guardrails (spend cap, merchant categories, human approval). It is a payment path for agents beyond a single checkout flow.
04 Where are network agentic payments already live?
Where are network agentic payments already live?
Mastercard moved agent-initiated payments into production in Singapore and Malaysia, its first Southeast Asian markets. In Europe, Worldline, ING and Mastercard completed a first end-to-end agentic transaction.
Primary sources
- Visa, announcements at the Visa Payments Forum (June 10, 2026).
- Visa Intelligent Commerce.
- Fortune, Mastercard Agent Pay for Machines (June 10, 2026).
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