Visa has launched Intelligent Commerce Connect, a new platform designed to enable AI agents to complete transactions on behalf of consumers. Announced Wednesday, the system acts as a unified infrastructure layer for agent-driven commerce, allowing businesses and developers to integrate payment capabilities into AI-powered shopping experiences.
The platform connects through the Visa Acceptance Platform and supports both Visa and non-Visa card payments. It provides core services such as tokenization, authentication, and spend controls, enabling AI agents to securely browse, select, and pay for goods. Visa described the system as a “token vault-agnostic” entry point, meaning it can work across different payment storage systems while maintaining compliance with industry standards like PCI.
The move places Visa in direct competition with blockchain networks such as Ethereum, Tron, and Solana, as well as fintech startups developing autonomous payment systems for AI agents. These platforms aim to allow software agents to transact independently, potentially reshaping online commerce and reducing reliance on traditional user-driven checkout flows.
Visa said the system is currently in pilot with select partners, with a broader rollout expected later in 2026. In a related development, AI fintech firm Nevermined has integrated the platform using Coinbase’s x402 protocol, which enables programmable payments between AI agents and merchants. The protocol has processed $24 million in transactions over the past month, highlighting early traction in the emerging space.
