Incumbent card networks aren't standing still while AI assistants learn to shop. Visa, Mastercard, and other payment giants see agentic commerce as both threat and tailwind: threat because agents might bypass cards in favor of bank rails or stablecoins; tailwind because every intelligent checkout still needs dispute resolution, risk scoring, and settlement. Their response is to double down on trust layers designed for autonomous actors.
The trusted-agent pitch
Visa's Trusted Agent Protocol proposals sketch how an agent could be issued credentials, audited for behavior, and granted spend rights across millions of merchants without re-onboarding. Mastercard has hinted at similar constructs, leveraging the existing tokenization rails that already secure card-on-file commerce. The pitch is simple: let the networks keep doing what they do best--routing, liability management, chargeback arbitration--while layering policy APIs that agents can call in real time.
Data is the differentiator
Networks are leaning on their vast transaction data to stay relevant. They can spot merchant category codes, fraud patterns, and geographic anomalies faster than any new entrant. By exposing slices of that intelligence to agent facilitators, they can position themselves as the risk brain behind autonomous spend. Expect to see dashboards that show agent personas, their historic reliability, and recommended limits based on aggregated benchmarks.
Network strengths and weaknesses
Still, incumbents have both advantages and blind spots.
- Strength: global merchant acceptance and compliance coverage.
- Strength: mature dispute processes and insurance-backed guarantees.
- Weakness: settlement latency and fee structures unfriendly to sub-dollar payments.
- Weakness: reliance on legacy message formats that assume human approvals.
Partnership strategies
To bridge the gaps, networks are partnering aggressively. Expect more collaborations with AI labs, wallet providers, and fintech platforms that already speak x402 or ACP. Co-branded programs could certify agents much like payment facilitators are certified today. Investments will also flow into middleware that translates ISO 8583 traffic into the rich telemetry agents expect. These moves let incumbents stay in the loop even when the payment instrument changes.
What merchants should demand
Merchants evaluating these trusted-agent offerings should push for openness. They will want multi-rail options, not exclusive card lock-ins. They should insist on transparent policy configuration, clear recourse when an agent misbehaves, and compatibility with verifiable credential standards so identity can travel across ecosystems. If incumbents deliver, they can remain indispensable partners in the agent era. If not, agents will happily route around them.