The updates were unveiled at its Asia Pacific Media Showcase, outlining a recent strategy to embed AI into the region's commerce infrastructure and strengthen cross-sector partnerships.
Among the key developments is the launch of Visa Intelligent Commerce, an initiative aimed at providing developers and AI platforms with access to Visa’s payments infrastructure. The programme includes a set of APIs and a commercial partner framework, intended to enable AI-powered tools to facilitate secure transactions at scale.
Visa is currently in exploratory discussions with companies including Ant International, Grab, and Tencent to expand these capabilities across the region.
Visa highlighted that AI agents are expected to play a growing role in digital transactions by managing everything from routine purchases to complex travel bookings on behalf of consumers. Officials from the company suggested that trust and security in payments will become increasingly critical as these AI systems take on more autonomy in handling transactions.
The showcase also included updates on Visa’s evolving digital identity and authentication efforts. Features such as Passkeys, Tap to Confirm, and enhanced transaction data are being incorporated to improve user verification and reduce friction. These are being implemented with regional partners including Coles in Australia and Maybank in Malaysia.
In a further move to support small-scale and informal economic activity, Visa is introducing Visa Accept in Vietnam. The feature allows individuals such as street vendors and freelancers to accept contactless payments via their smartphones, provided they have eligible Visa debit cards and participate through supported banking apps.
In the cryptocurrency space, Visa is expanding the use of stablecoins for payments and settlements. The firm has settled more than USD 225 million in stablecoin volume to date and is working with partners in Asia Pacific such as DCS Singapore, DTC Pay, and StraitsX to offer stablecoin-backed cards. These allow users to purchase stablecoins with fiat and transact using them at Visa-accepting merchants. The company is also working with StraitsX to enable seven-day-a-week settlement.
Visa’s Tokenized Asset Platform (VTAP) is also being developed further, offering capabilities for issuing fiat-backed tokens and integrating with both public and private blockchains. The platform is designed to facilitate programmable finance and tokenised asset trading, with plans to expand availability in 2025.
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