Google launches AI protocol for digital payments
Collaborating with Coinbase, Ethereum Foundation, and major firms, Google positions digital money at the centre of future AI ecosystems.
Google has unveiled the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), a new system enabling AI applications to send and receive payments, including stablecoins pegged to traditional currencies.
Developed with Coinbase, the Ethereum Foundation, and over 60 other finance and technology firms, AP2 aims to standardise transactions between AI agents and merchants.
The protocol builds on Google’s earlier Agent2Agent framework, extending it to financial interactions. AP2 supports credit and debit cards, bank transfers, and stablecoins, providing a secure and compliant foundation for automated payments.
By introducing a shared language for AI-led transactions, the system addresses risks linked to authorisation, authenticity, and accountability without human intervention.
The project reflects growing interest in stablecoins, whose circulation recently rose to $289 billion from $205 billion at the start of the year. Integrating stablecoins into AI could change how automated systems manage payments, from daily purchases to complex financial tasks.
Google and its collaborators emphasise AP2’s goal of interoperability across industries, offering flexibility, compliance, and scalability. The initiative makes digital money central to AI, signalling a shift in automated financial transactions.
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