MoonPay rolled out a payment vault for AI agents on Wednesday. The product, called PayBox, lets users connect chatbots like Claude or ChatGPT to a secure wallet so the AI can trade tokens, book travel, or move money on their behalf. The key twist: the AI never gets custody of the funds.
What PayBox does
PayBox is a dedicated payment vault that plugs into popular AI assistants through a custom connector. Once a user links their MoonPay account, they can give the AI agent permission to execute transactions — but the money stays in the vault, not in the AI's hands. That means the agent can act on instructions without the risk of it running off with the cash.
How the connector works
The connector bridges MoonPay's infrastructure with Claude and ChatGPT. Users authorize specific actions — trading a token, paying for a flight, sending a payment — and the AI carries them out via the vault. MoonPay handles the settlement and security. The company says the design keeps control with the human, even when the AI is doing the clicking.
AI agents are getting better at performing tasks, but one big hurdle has been letting them spend money safely. Handing over a credit card or private keys is a non-starter for most people. PayBox tries to solve that by creating a walled-off account the AI can use but can't drain. It's a practical step toward making AI assistants useful for real-world errands, not just conversation.
Use cases from day one
MoonPay is pitching PayBox for three main jobs: trading tokens, buying NFTs, and moving money across borders. The travel booking angle is also there — an AI could find a flight and pay for it through the vault. Since the connector works with both Claude and ChatGPT, users on either platform can set it up. MoonPay didn't say whether it plans to add other AI assistants later.
The product went live Wednesday. No word yet on how many users have signed up, but the company is betting that letting AI agents spend money — under human supervision — is the next logical step for crypto payments.
