Google introduces AP2, a secure payment standard for AI agents
Google just dropped the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), an open standard designed to make payments by AI agents much more secure.
Over 60 big names—including American Express, Mastercard, and Coinbase—are on board.
AP2 brings together different payment types like credit cards, stablecoins, and bank transfers into one unified system.
How AP2 works
AP2 uses digital contracts called Mandates: Intent Mandates let AI agents search or request purchases for you, while Cart Mandates are needed to actually pay.
This setup helps prevent unauthorized transactions and keeps things transparent.
Unlike most current systems that are closed off or company-specific, AP2 is totally open—so any platform can use it for safer AI-powered shopping.
AP2 builds on existing protocols
AP2 serves as an extension of the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol and the Model Context Protocol (MCP), making buying through AI agents smoother and more trustworthy across apps and platforms.
It's a big step toward making sure your money stays protected as AI becomes a bigger part of online transactions in 2025.