AI Agents Will Shop for Us - Mastercard Tests Agent Pay in Bulgaria

▤ Summary

Mastercard ran a controlled pilot in Bulgaria of Agent Pay, enabling AI agents to complete purchases on behalf of users using cards issued by local banks. The pilot used agent tokens and will integrate Verifiable Intent (developed with Google) to cryptographically link identity, user instructions and transaction actions for auditability. Mastercard positions the feature for businesses that automate frequent rule-based payments and consumers who delegate complex or repeat purchases to AI assistants. The company stresses the need for new digital, legal and privacy frameworks and anti-fraud controls to ensure transparency, user consent and dispute resolution.

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