Visa, a global leader in digital payments, has introduced Visa Intelligent Commerce, a new initiative aimed at empowering developers and engineers to build the next generation of AI-powered commerce solutions across Asia Pacific.
The programme includes a suite of integrated APIs and a commercial partner network, opening Visa’s trusted payments infrastructure to AI platforms at scale.
This initiative reflects Visa’s broader commitment to innovating within Asia Pacific, a region rapidly adopting new commerce and payment methods.
With the emergence of AI agents that can automate transactions, Visa aims to provide the infrastructure necessary for seamless, secure, and intelligent checkout experiences.
Visa, operating one of the world’s largest payments networks, has processed 3.3 trillion transactions globally over the past 25 years. The company is now investing in capabilities that support AI-powered commerce, digital wallets, and tokenised payments to meet the evolving needs of businesses and consumers across Asia Pacific.
Visa Intelligent Commerce allows developers to integrate Visa’s AI capabilities securely, enabling AI agents embedded in platforms such as chat apps or virtual assistants to complete purchases using Visa’s 4.8 billion credentials at millions of merchants globally. The platform also includes commercial partnerships with leading firms including Ant International, Grab, and Tencent to promote AI commerce adoption.
Alongside Intelligent Commerce, Visa is expanding several product lines. Its stablecoin initiatives now include settlement and on-and-off ramps through regulated infrastructure. In Asia Pacific, Visa has partnered with DCS Singapore, DTC Pay and StraitsX to offer stablecoin-backed cards. To date, Visa has settled over $225m in stablecoin volume and continues to enhance seven-day settlement capabilities.
Visa is also scaling its Tokenized Asset Platform (VTAP), enabling partners to issue fiat-backed tokens, trade tokenised assets and facilitate cross-border transactions. VTAP will be expanded to more partners through 2025 and 2026.
The Visa Flex Credential, a next-generation payment card that lets users toggle between debit, credit, and rewards, has gained strong traction in Japan through SMBC and SMCC’s Olive card, which now serves over 5m users. Visa and SMCC recently extended this offering to small businesses and plan to launch Flex in Vietnam.
The firm also launched Visa Pay, a service connecting digital wallets to Visa’s global network. With partners including LINE Pay (Taiwan), Maya (Philippines), OpenRice (Hong Kong) and Woori Card (South Korea), the solution enables in-store and online purchases using local wallets.
To enhance security and reduce checkout friction, Visa’s Digital Identity solutions now include Passkeys, Tap to Confirm, and enhanced fraud detection via advanced transaction data. New regional partners include Coles in Australia and Maybank in Southeast Asia.
Another key launch is Visa Accept, a service enabling micro-sellers to receive contactless payments on any NFC-enabled smartphone. Debuting in Vietnam, it supports informal businesses such as street vendors and freelancers by allowing them to accept Visa payments via their bank’s mobile apps.
Visa head of products and solutions, Asia Pacific, T.R. Ramachandran said, “As global commerce continues to evolve rapidly, Visa remains at the forefront of delivering innovations that will enable the future of commerce across Asia Pacific.”
“We believe AI agents will play a growing role in commerce, from handling routine purchases such as ordering food, to more complex purchases such as securing event tickets or making travel reservations,” added Ramachandran. “By combining AI capabilities with Visa’s trusted payment infrastructure, we are enabling a seamless, secure, and more enjoyable experience for consumers, merchants, and businesses alike.”
Source: https://fintech.global/
