Google has introduced an open protocol aimed at enabling AI agents to handle payments on behalf of users and merchants.
The tech giant has partnered with over 60 companies, including Adyen, Coinbase, Mastercard, and PayPal, for the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2).
Agentic commerce challenges the traditional notion that a human must actively confirm a purchase during a transaction. Google emphasizes that a protocol is essential for proving user authorization for an agent to make a purchase, allowing merchants to verify that the agent’s request aligns with the user’s intent, and establishing accountability in the event of fraud or errors.
AP2 aims to create a unified, open protocol that offers a common framework for secure and compliant transactions between agents and merchants, helping to avoid a fragmented system. It accommodates various payment methods, including credit and debit cards, stablecoins, and real-time bank transfers.
The protocol leverages mandates—tamper-proof, cryptographically-signed digital contracts that provide verifiable proof of a user’s instructions. Google states this framework addresses two primary shopping scenarios with an agent: real-time purchases where the user is present, and delegated tasks when they are not.
Additionally, Google has collaborated with Coinbase, the Ethereum Foundation, MetaMask, and others on an A2A x402 extension, which is a production-ready solution specifically designed for agent-based crypto payments.