New Standards Allow AI Agents to Execute Transactions
Collaborative efforts in the U.S. aim to provide the secure framework required for agents to conduct independent commerce.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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Industry leaders, including American Express and Shopify, are building new frameworks and standards to enable AI agents to execute commercial transactions. These efforts are currently in the development stage, focusing on machine-readable data and authenticated purchase instructions.
Why it matters
The development of these standards is critical for transitioning AI agents from simple task assistants to active participants in commerce. Establishing secure, authenticated communication channels between agents and payment infrastructure is the primary hurdle for widespread agentic adoption.
The architecture relies on machine-readable data protocols to transmit authenticated purchase instructions through traditional payment processing rails. This replaces human-led transaction verification with automated, cryptographically signed commands that interface directly with checkout systems.
The players
American Express
A financial services corporation developing authentication standards for automated payments.
Shopify
A commerce platform provider building checkout tools for AI agent integrations.
Hedera
A distributed ledger technology firm focused on enterprise-grade machine-readable data infrastructure.
The details
AI agents interact with e-commerce systems by utilizing dedicated checkout tools that interpret merchant data. To ensure security, these agents employ an authentication framework that carries purchase instructions through the payment network, similar to how traditional digital wallets facilitate transactions. This system requires interoperable standards, which are currently being developed alongside the x402 Foundation and EMVCo to ensure that payments remain secure while allowing for autonomous authorization.
Timeline
- 2026-10-28
Lindsay Walker of Hedera advocated for machine-readable data at the AIconference.
The Tech Race
This initiative follows the pattern of the EMV chip standard transition by building the underlying security protocols necessary for a new, automated mode of commerce. Developers are competing to define the interoperability standards that will ultimately determine which agent ecosystems become the default for online transactions.
Future consumer experiences may involve AI agents handling routine purchases directly within the merchant checkout flow. Users should expect that these tools will eventually require authorization protocols similar to those currently used for digital wallets and two-factor authentication.
The takeaway
The move toward agentic commerce depends on creating secure, machine-readable pathways for payment verification. Keep watch for the final technical specifications from the x402 Foundation and EMVCo, which will likely serve as the baseline for future agent-based transaction standards.
Further reading
For more on how automated systems are reshaping digital workflows, explore our Artificial Intelligence section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TokenPost.
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