Summary
On September 9, 2026, Ant International, Visa, and Mastercard said they will align on a Know-Your-Agent (KYA) interoperability framework so card networks, wallets, agent platforms, and marketplaces can onboard and identify AI agents across networks. The effort aims to bridge Visa Trusted Agent Protocol, Mastercard Verifiable Intent, and Ant International Agentic Mobile Protocol while each network keeps its own verification and decisioning.
What changed
Three major payment players agreed to align on a shared Know-Your-Agent framework for identifying AI agents across networks, bridging Visa Trusted Agent Protocol, Mastercard Verifiable Intent, and Ant International Agentic Mobile Protocol; no technical specs, governance body, or rollout timeline were disclosed.
Why it matters
Agent-initiated commerce needs a trust layer that travels across networks, and agreement among Visa, Mastercard, and Ant signals the payment industry converging on agent identity as core infrastructure rather than a per-platform feature. It sets the competitive context for agent-checkout efforts from Stripe, Google, and others.
Evidence excerpt
Ant International is working with Visa and Mastercard to develop a Know-Your-Agent interoperability framework to streamline AI agent onboarding and identification across networks, bridging Visa Trusted Agent Protocol, Mastercard Verifiable Intent, and Ant International Agentic Mobile Protocol.