#What is AgentCard and How Does It Work?
AgentCard represents a significant innovation in how AI assistants handle online payments. This virtual payment product from Alchemy allows AI agents to autonomously issue and utilize Visa cards for online transactions. Primarily based on Visa's token credentials, AgentCard is designed with future adaptability in mind, intending to incorporate crypto and other agent-native payment protocols as they develop.
AgentCard empowers AI agents to create virtual Visa cards that can be either one-time use or prepaid. Each card is equipped with enforceable spending limits and provides real-time transaction tracking. This allows developers to impose strict constraints on an agent’s spending behavior, ensuring safe and controlled financial interactions.
#What Are the Key Applications of AgentCard?
AgentCard serves several practical purposes, including:
- Payment for API calls
- Subscription for AI inference services
- Food delivery from services like DoorDash and Uber Eats
- Marketing expenditures
- 24/7 trading on platforms such as Polymarket
These use cases illustrate the versatility of AgentCard, particularly in facilitating seamless online transactions across various platforms.
#How Does AgentCard Fit into the Broader Trend of Agentic Commerce?
Agentic commerce is gaining traction, especially with the contributions from major players like Visa and Mastercard. Visa’s Intelligent Commerce framework, introduced in 2025, focuses on supporting AI-tokenized credentials, emphasizing a rising trend where AI can independently manage financial transactions. Mastercard’s Agent Pay initiative parallels this development, showing that multiple fintech firms recognize the potential benefits of integrating AI into payment processes. Currently, AgentCard operates on standard Visa payment systems; however, Alchemy has plans to extend support to cryptocurrency and agent-centric payment protocols in the near future.
#What is AgentPay and Its Role in This Ecosystem?
In conjunction with AgentCard, Alchemy has also introduced AgentPay. Launched in April 2026, this companion product facilitates interoperability between various AI payment systems.
Together, AgentCard and AgentPay represent a concerted effort to harness AI capabilities to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of online payment processes. As these technologies evolve, they may revolutionize how both businesses and consumers interact financially in an increasingly digital world.