Google is bringing digital money into artificial
intelligence. The company unveiled a protocol that allows AI applications to
send and receive payments, including stablecoins pegged to traditional
currencies.
The move comes in partnership with Coinbase, the
Ethereum Foundation, and more than 60 other firms spanning finance and
technology.
From Conversation to Transaction
The initiative reportedly builds on Google’s earlier Agent2Agent
protocol, which standardized communication between AI applications. Named Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), the new
framework extends this model to financial
transactions.
Additionally, it introduces rails for both crypto and traditional
payment methods, including credit cards, bank transfers, and stablecoins.
Discover how neo-banks become wealthtech in London at the fmls25
“AP2 is an open, shared protocol that provides a
common language for secure, compliant transactions between agents and
merchants, helping to prevent a fragmented ecosystem,” the company announced
today (Tuesday). “It also supports different payment types – from credit
and debit cards to stablecoins and real-time bank transfers.”
Coinbase has worked closely with Google on the effort,
drawing on its own development of AI-integrated payments. Other collaborators
include Salesforce, American Express, and Etsy, underscoring the aim to make
the system interoperable across industries.
AI agents are increasingly capable of acting without
direct human input. This creates new risks for payments , which traditionally
assume a human is present to authorize each step. AP2 seeks to resolve
questions of authorization, authenticity, and accountability in agent-led
transactions.
Keep reading: PrimeXM Promotes Christina Barbash to Chief Commercial Officer
The protocol provides a shared foundation for
merchants, users, and institutions, aiming to reduce fragmentation while
ensuring compliance and security. Google said the system supports multiple
payment methods to give participants flexibility and scalability.
Riding the Stablecoin Wave
The timing coincides with rapid growth in stablecoin
adoption. According to DefiLlama, circulation has reached $289 billion, up from
$205 billion at the start of the year. The rise has drawn investor interest,
with USDC issuer Circle’s IPO earlier this year described as a sign of strong
market appetite.
By embedding stablecoins into its AI ecosystem, Google
aims to align with a wider trend in digital finance. The company’s announcement
signals a potential shift in how automated systems could handle transactions,
from routine shopping to more complex tasks like mortgages.
Google is bringing digital money into artificial
intelligence. The company unveiled a protocol that allows AI applications to
send and receive payments, including stablecoins pegged to traditional
currencies.
The move comes in partnership with Coinbase, the
Ethereum Foundation, and more than 60 other firms spanning finance and
technology.
From Conversation to Transaction
The initiative reportedly builds on Google’s earlier Agent2Agent
protocol, which standardized communication between AI applications. Named Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), the new
framework extends this model to financial
transactions.
Additionally, it introduces rails for both crypto and traditional
payment methods, including credit cards, bank transfers, and stablecoins.
Discover how neo-banks become wealthtech in London at the fmls25
“AP2 is an open, shared protocol that provides a
common language for secure, compliant transactions between agents and
merchants, helping to prevent a fragmented ecosystem,” the company announced
today (Tuesday). “It also supports different payment types – from credit
and debit cards to stablecoins and real-time bank transfers.”
Coinbase has worked closely with Google on the effort,
drawing on its own development of AI-integrated payments. Other collaborators
include Salesforce, American Express, and Etsy, underscoring the aim to make
the system interoperable across industries.
AI agents are increasingly capable of acting without
direct human input. This creates new risks for payments , which traditionally
assume a human is present to authorize each step. AP2 seeks to resolve
questions of authorization, authenticity, and accountability in agent-led
transactions.
Keep reading: PrimeXM Promotes Christina Barbash to Chief Commercial Officer
The protocol provides a shared foundation for
merchants, users, and institutions, aiming to reduce fragmentation while
ensuring compliance and security. Google said the system supports multiple
payment methods to give participants flexibility and scalability.
Riding the Stablecoin Wave
The timing coincides with rapid growth in stablecoin
adoption. According to DefiLlama, circulation has reached $289 billion, up from
$205 billion at the start of the year. The rise has drawn investor interest,
with USDC issuer Circle’s IPO earlier this year described as a sign of strong
market appetite.
By embedding stablecoins into its AI ecosystem, Google
aims to align with a wider trend in digital finance. The company’s announcement
signals a potential shift in how automated systems could handle transactions,
from routine shopping to more complex tasks like mortgages.
