On Thursday, 10 September 2026, Ant International disclosed that it has entered into a partnership with Visa Inc. and Mastercard Incorporated to develop a new industry standard for payments processed through artificial‑intelligence (AI) agents. The fintech firm explained that the collaboration will focus on creating common verification standards that link each AI agent to a valid legal entity and continuously monitor the agent’s behavior and transactional activities. In outlining the strategic rationale, Ant International cited McKinsey & Company projections that AI agents are expected to process between $3 trillion and $5 trillion of global consumer commerce by the year 2030, indicating a substantial growth trajectory for AI‑driven payment solutions. The announcement reflects Ant International’s expectation that both consumers and businesses will increasingly rely on AI agents for payment transactions, prompting the need for standardized oversight mechanisms. The article, generated with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor, was published by Reuters at 07:42 am Indian Standard Time and includes stock‑movement indicators (MA‑0.59 % and V‑0.34 %).