Visa Introduces Trusted Agent Protocol for Secure AI-Driven Transactions

Visa has launched the Trusted Agent Protocol, a framework for secure AI-driven transactions. The protocol allows authorized agents to transmit information to merchants, enabling the identification of trusted agents and differentiating them from harmful bots. Visa has partnered with several companies to refine the development of this protocol, which is now available via GitHub and the Visa Developer Center.

Visa Inc. (V) has launched the Trusted Agent Protocol, a foundational framework designed to secure agent-driven commerce. The protocol enables secure communication between AI agents and merchants, allowing retailers to verify genuine agents and distinguish them from malicious bots. Developed in partnership with Cloudflare, the Trusted Agent Protocol addresses the unique challenges posed by AI-driven transactions, such as managing bot detection systems and supporting agent-driven checkouts, according to a Reuters report.

The protocol includes specifications that use agent-specific cryptographic signatures to identify trusted agents with a commerce intent, preserve visibility into the consumer behind the agent, and carry payment data. By providing a framework for recognizing trusted agents, Visa aims to create a safer and more seamless environment for digital transactions, the Reuters report adds.

Visa's initiative aligns with the growing trend of AI-driven online shopping experiences, where 85% of shoppers who have used AI to shop say it improved their experience, the Reuters report also notes. The company has collaborated with early partners such as Microsoft, Shopify, Stripe, Coinbase, and Worldpay to refine the protocol, ensuring a strong alignment within the ecosystem, the Reuters coverage says.

The Trusted Agent Protocol is available via GitHub and the Visa Developer Center, and Visa is committed to working closely with global standards bodies and other ecosystem partners to ensure interoperability and complement other emerging standards, according to the Reuters piece. Visa's goal is to solidify its position in the digital payments arena by fostering trust in AI-driven commerce, which could become the foundational trust element for the next wave of commerce, according to The Globe and Mail.

The Globe and Mail also notes that Visa's stock performance has been robust, with shares rising 24.6% over the past year compared to the industry average of 1%. The company's forward price-to-earnings ratio stands at 26.59, above the industry average of 21.23, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Visa's fiscal 2025 earnings implies a 13.7% jump from the year-ago period, the Globe and Mail analysis adds.