# AI agents are becoming payment customers

> As autonomous software takes on real transactions, payment systems built for humans must adapt to verify and control AI buyers.
- Title: AI agents are becoming payment customers · Pymnts | Shortify
- Summary: As autonomous software takes on real transactions, payment systems built for humans must adapt to verify and control AI buyers. Payment infrastructure…
- Keywords: ai agents, agentic commerce, payments, fintech, solvapay, viggo stenseth, payment infrastructure, autonomous software, fraud prevention, financial systems, business, finance
- Source: Pymnts — https://pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2026/ai-agents-become-the-next-payments-customer
- Author: PYMNTS
- Published: 2026-09-18T08:02:21+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ai agents, agentic commerce, payments, fintech, solvapay, viggo stenseth, payment infrastructure, autonomous software, fraud prevention, financial systems, business, finance
## Bots that are supposed to buy
Payment systems spent years blocking fraudulent bots from impersonating customers. Now legitimate AI agents need to make real purchases, forcing a rethink of verification systems.

> We built really robust systems to verify that there's a human doing the transaction, 3DS, CVV codes, everything to prevent a bad bot from doing things.
## SolvaPay tackles agent payments
Stockholm-based fintech SolvaPay is building payment infrastructure specifically for AI agents, including machine-readable payments, usage-based billing, and spending controls.
## The timing problem
AI agents developed faster than payment systems can adapt. Unlike the internet and smartphones, which took years to integrate into commerce, agentic AI is already operating autonomously.

> The timer already started a couple of years ago.
## One job, multiple payments
An AI agent can split work among other agents, creating chains of payments several layers deep. This complicates reconciliation when something fails partway through.
## Agents as buyers and sellers
AI agents can purchase data and services, then resell what they build to other users. This requires usage-based billing for individual API calls and datasets rather than monthly subscriptions.
## Connecting to existing rails
Agent payments must still flow through regulated financial systems with anti-money laundering checks, ledgers, and security controls. You can't create a separate payments environment for autonomous software.

> You can't skip steps.
## Merchants need new controls
Fraud systems must distinguish legitimate agent activity from attacks. Billing must handle per-unit purchases. Reconciliation must track multi-agent work chains. Payment choice could shift to the agent itself.
## Key takeaway

Payment infrastructure designed to stop fraudulent bots now needs to authenticate legitimate AI agents while maintaining security and regulatory compliance.