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Visa, Mastercard, and Ant International to Develop AI Payment Verification Standards
Payments giants Visa, Mastercard, and Ant International have announced a joint initiative to create a standardized framework for verifying AI agents that conduct transactions on behalf of consumers. The collaboration, reported by Reuters, aims to establish common rules for the emerging field of AI-driven commerce.
A 'Know-Your-Agent' Standard
The companies said Thursday they are developing a "Know-Your-Agent" (KYA) interoperability framework. This system is designed to allow various players in the payments ecosystem—including card networks, digital wallets, and online marketplaces—to recognize and trust AI agents across different platforms while maintaining their own internal risk-management processes.
The initiative anticipates a future of "agentic global consumer commerce," where AI evolves from a recommendation tool to an autonomous purchasing agent. This framework is a foundational step to ensure security and interoperability as that technology matures.
Building on Existing Protocols
The joint framework will not start from scratch but will instead build upon the companies' existing proprietary technologies. According to the announcement, key protocols being integrated include:
Ad- Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol
- Mastercard Verifiable Intent
- Ant International’s Agentic Mobile Protocol
By leveraging these established systems, the firms aim to streamline the development of a unified standard for the entire payments industry.
Fostering Trust and Innovation
A key goal of the initiative is to provide greater trust and risk visibility across participating networks. The companies stated that a common standard could help reduce integration costs and accelerate the launch of new AI-powered payment services.
The collaboration will be facilitated through BuildFin.ai, a platform convened by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. This platform brings together financial institutions and technology providers to develop and implement new AI solutions for the financial services sector.
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