The global payments provider is launching a new trial involving leading UK banks, testing out how AI shopping agents could make purchases on behalf of consumers
Banks, including Barclays, HSBC UK, Santander and Revolut, will be involved in the trial, which will offer a guide for banks on how transactions initiated by AI-agents can be validated.
The programme, dubbed Visa Agentic Ready, is being launched first in Europe. Its first stage will look at how these kinds of transactions could be operated securely in “controlled production environments”.
“As AI agents increasingly shape how people shop and buy, payments need to keep up,” said Mathieu Altwegg, Head of product & solutions, Visa Europe. “Visa Agentic Ready will initially help European issuers prepare for secure, scalable agent‑initiated payments, built on infrastructure people already trust.”
A growing number of UK retailers have been looking at the potential for AI-driven retail, thanks to the explosion in usage of tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini conversation tool. IAB data shows that 24 million people in the UK, over a third of the population, used AI tools in January. The vast majority of time spent on these tools was on ChatGPT.
Both OpenAI and Google have launched protocols helping retailers set up their product feeds to be pushed into AI conversation tools or interacted with by “agents”, autonomous systems working on behalf of users.
The integration of payments into these apps has not been easy. Tech news site The Information reported earlier this month that OpenAI was scaling back its Instant Checkout functionality. Users will now only be able to checkout within ChatGPT if the retailer or a tech partner has developed a special app allowing them to do so. They will otherwise be directed to retailer websites to complete purchases.
There also remains some evidence of a trust gap when it comes to agentic shopping. A YouGov survey in December found that while 66% of Brits trust AI to help with comparing prices across stores, just 11% currently would be happy to let it place orders on their behalf.
The hope from programmes like these is that by working with trusted partners, users and payments providers can feel secure in allowing AI agents to occupy a greater role in the overall shopping experience. The Visa trial will look at the usage of tokenisation, biometrics and consent controls.
It follows Google’s announcement last September of its Agent Payments Protocol, with launch partners including Mastercard, PayPal, and 58 other organisations.
“This is a major step in making AI-assisted shopping practical. By testing a live transaction, we demonstrated how these technologies act as a key enabler of secure, interoperable agentic commerce within a connected payments ecosystem, linking banks, networks and merchants, while preserving consumer protections and controls,” said Matías Sánchez, global head of cards and digital Solutions at Santander.
“As part of this initiative, Banco Santander demonstrated a real-world use case by purchasing a book with a Santander España Visa card, showcasing the practical application of agent-enabled commerce.”
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