Visa’s AI-Powered Payments Expand to More Apps with MCP Support
▼ Summary
– Visa Intelligent Commerce opens Visa’s payment network to developers for building agentic AI shopping experiences.
– The initiative now includes Model Context Protocol (MCP) support to connect AI assistants securely to data systems.
– A new Visa Acceptance Agent Toolkit allows developers to work with AI agents using natural language instead of extensive coding.
– These tools aim to help developers create prototypes faster and build easier checkout experiences for e-commerce.
– Visa is exploring new B2B and B2C use cases to expand how developers leverage its network for AI commerce applications.
The digital commerce landscape is shifting dramatically as artificial intelligence reshapes how consumers shop and pay online. Visa’s latest expansion of its Intelligent Commerce platform now supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), opening new pathways for developers to build smarter, more responsive AI-driven payment experiences. This integration promises to streamline how businesses and shoppers interact, making transactions faster and more intuitive.
Visa Intelligent Commerce, introduced earlier this year, allows engineers and developers to tap into Visa’s robust payment infrastructure to create what the company calls “agentic AI shopping experiences.” With the newly added MCP Server support, developers can more easily connect their applications to Visa’s APIs, reducing the time and complexity traditionally involved in such integrations. This move is designed to accelerate innovation, enabling prototypes to move from concept to reality in hours rather than weeks.
The Model Context Protocol has quickly become an industry standard for securely linking AI assistants with data systems. By incorporating MCP, Visa provides a ready-made integration layer that prioritizes security while granting access to the company’s extensive payment capabilities. This not only simplifies development but also encourages the creation of more sophisticated AI tools that can handle everything from invoicing to transaction analysis with minimal manual input.
Complementing the MCP Server is the newly launched Visa Acceptance Agent Toolkit, which allows developers with limited coding experience to build AI commerce agents using natural language commands. The toolkit includes pre-built workflows, conversational prompts, and integrations with popular chat interfaces. For instance, an AI agent could generate an invoice or pull sales data simply by interpreting a verbal or typed request, dramatically reducing the technical barrier to creating advanced e-commerce solutions.
Real-world applications are already taking shape. In one example, an AI agent processes a command to create an invoice for a specific amount and due date, automatically generating a payment link through Visa’s API. In another, a business analyst requests a revenue summary for a particular region, and the AI compiles the report by accessing relevant transaction data. These use cases illustrate how AI can handle routine tasks efficiently, freeing human operators for more strategic work.
Visa’s efforts are part of a broader industry trend where major players like Google, OpenAI, eBay, and Amazon are integrating AI into shopping and payment workflows. According to a recent Adobe study, 39% of online shoppers have already used generative AI for activities like product research, deal hunting, and gift ideas. This growing adoption underscores the potential for AI to enhance both consumer convenience and business efficiency.
Looking ahead, Visa plans to extend MCP support across its wider API portfolio, suggesting that this is only the beginning of a more connected, intelligent payment ecosystem. As developers continue to experiment with these tools, we can expect a new wave of AI-powered commerce applications that make digital shopping smoother and more personalized than ever.
(Source: ZDNET)
