Ant International, a global provider of digital payments and financial technology, has announced its role as a launch partner with Google to develop the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), an open rulebook designed to enable reliable and authorized transactions by AI agents.
The Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) addresses a growing need within agentic commerce, where AI agents are expected to increasingly transact on behalf of users for services, products, and interactions with other agents. Current payment systems are primarily structured for direct human interaction and lack the necessary frameworks for authorization, verification, and interoperability specific to AI agent transactions. Google initiated AP2 in collaboration with industry partners to close this gap.
AP2 defines essential components for agentic payments, establishing a protocol that ensures user intent is verifiable, transactions are traceable, and accountability is clear across the entire payment lifecycle. Its design also incorporates features to enhance privacy and ensure compatibility with a diverse range of payment methods.
Ant International contributes its extensive expertise in alternative payment methods (APMs) and its network of 36 digital wallets to the development of an APM-based agent payments protocol within AP2. Its contributions include streamlining the APM checkout process and integrating AI-driven capabilities to identify and block fraudulent transactions, providing a practical reference for agentic payments. Furthermore, Ant International’s unique payment mandate model, which links transaction parameters with verifiable intent evidence, offers insights for protocols aimed at strengthening traceability, compliance, and dispute resolution.
The company is actively exploring real-world applications for AP2, envisioning scenarios where AI agents coordinate to manage credentials, process payments, and deliver customized promotions. A future capability of Alipay+ Voyager, Ant International’s built-in AI travel agent for digital wallet and super app users, which launched in July 2025, is planned to operate on a multi-agent model under the Agent2Agent protocol. This will allow sub-agents to book rides on ride-hailing platforms and process payments in full compliance with AP2 standards.
Jiangming Yang, Chief Innovation Officer of Ant International, commented on the partnership, stating, “Ant International is excited to partner with Google to advance standards-setting in agentic payments, leveraging our expertise in APM payments and trusted AI innovations. We are committed to working with global partners to shape the future of agentic commerce, where AI agents serve as trusted assistants for discovery, engagement, and transactions, powering merchant growth and transforming consumer experience.”
Ant International’s involvement with AP2 builds upon its existing collaboration with Google Cloud. In June 2025, Ant International introduced Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit, an AI-as-a-Service platform. This platform, supported by integrations with Google’s Vertex AI, is designed to enable fintechs and super apps to develop AI-agentic and ultimately AI-native financial services with improved efficiency, security, and flexibility. Most recently, Ant International launched its Model Context Protocol (MCP)-based agentic payment solution, which integrates its APM checkout capabilities, payment mandate model, and trusted AI technologies to provide a secure and seamless checkout experience.
Ant International, headquartered in Singapore with main operations spanning Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America, is a global provider of digital payment, digitization, and financial technology services. Its unified techfin platform collaborates with financial institutions and merchants of all sizes to foster inclusive growth through digital payment and financial service solutions.
