What are agentic payments?

Agentic payments enable AI agents to monitor, recommend and, in some cases, execute financial actions on behalf of users within predefined permissions and boundaries. From managing subscriptions and identifying savings opportunities to selecting payment methods and making purchases, these systems promise to reduce the effort involved in everyday financial decision-making.

What do consumers want from agentic payments?

However, our research highlights a clear message from consumers: they want intelligence, not autonomy. While participants welcomed support that simplifies complex financial tasks, they remained cautious about handing over control when money is at stake. Transparency, explainability and the ability to override decisions were consistently identified as essential requirements for trust.

What do merchants want from agentic payments?

Merchants expressed a similarly balanced perspective. Many recognise the potential of agentic commerce to create new routes to customers and improve operational efficiency. At the same time, they are concerned about losing direct customer relationships, being reduced to price-based comparisons, and facing additional costs from new intermediary layers.

Across both groups, trust emerged as the critical factor that will determine adoption. Consumers want visibility and control, while merchants need confidence in how they are represented and how transactions are managed.

As agentic payments move from concept to reality, trust will be the foundation that determines whether invisible commerce becomes mainstream.