Ant, Mastercard, Visa build common AI agent identity framework

They aim to streamline AI agent onboarding and identification.

Ant International, Mastercard, and Visa are collaborating on a Know-Your-Agent (KYA) interoperability framework to streamline artificial intelligence (AI) agent onboarding and identification across networks.

The framework will be based on shared principles while preserving each network's own verification and decisioning processes, according to a joint statement of 10 September 2026.

The three companies aim at helping card networks, digital wallet ecosystems, agent platforms and marketplaces with AI agent onboarding and identification.

The three, who individually have their own protocols, will explore opportunities to work towards common principles.

The three already have their own protocols: Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol, Mastercard Verifiable Intent, and Ant International’s Agentic Mobile Protocol.

By 2030, AI agents are projected to orchestrate US$3 trillion to 5 trillion of global consumer commerce, according to a study by McKinsey & Company.

A big part of this trend is the KYA architecture of payment networks and service providers that set requirements and accountability, ensure security of the transaction, and verifies the AI agents’ identities, the three firms said.

The interoperable KYA framework could simplify and facilitate agentic payment transactions for service providers, agent platforms and marketplaces whilst upholding robust trust guardrails, the companies said.

This will enable faster time-to-market and lower integration cost for new agentic services, they added.