Google unveils AP2 open protocol for agent payments

Google has unveiled the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), an open protocol intended to securely initiate and complete agent-led payments across multiple platforms. This release, available now for public use via a GitHub repository, is targeted at developers, financial institutions, merchants, and technology providers exploring AI-powered and autonomous agent commerce. Over 60 major organizations, ranging from Adyen and American Express to Coinbase and Mastercard, participate in shaping this protocol, reflecting its broad reach.

The AP2 protocol addresses key challenges in agent-driven payments: ensuring user authorization, validating transaction authenticity, and establishing accountability in the event of disputes. Technical details reveal that AP2 uses cryptographically-signed mandates, verifiable digital contracts, to capture user intent and approvals, forming a secure, auditable trail for each transaction. It supports a wide range of payment methods, including traditional cards, stablecoins, and real-time bank transfers. Compared to previous standards, AP2 is designed as a truly payment-agnostic and agent-focused solution, with modular extensions such as A2A x402 enabling direct crypto payments. This positions AP2 ahead of earlier fragmented approaches, and its open design contrasts with competitor systems that often remain proprietary or limited in scope.

Industry feedback has been positive, with partners highlighting the protocol's role in building a trusted ecosystem for agentic payments. Early users and experts cite its security, interoperability, and transparency as key strengths. Google’s leadership in this initiative builds on its prior experience with scalable cloud and AI platforms, and the company aims to set foundational standards for the next era of commerce with AP2.

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