Mastercard rolled out an AI payment option with Alchemy that lets users connect an existing card to an AI agent through a virtual credit card. Users can set spending caps, restrict purchases by retailer and choose whether the agent must request approval before completing a transaction. Mastercard said issuing banks generate agentic tokens that combine the cardholder's intent with transaction details, allowing the network to verify whether the agent is acting within authorized boundaries. The offering builds on Alchemy's AgentCard and Mastercard Agent Pay products, which provide agents with identity tools, stablecoin wallets and one-time-use tokenized Mastercard credentials while preserving existing card rewards, credit lines and benefits. Visa has also partnered with Alchemy, while Visa, Mastercard and American Express have announced tools or standards for AI-driven purchases. Consumer trust, regulatory treatment and responsibility for unauthorized transactions remain unresolved barriers to adoption.