Wirex has joined Visa’s Agentic Ready programme as an issuer, becoming the first crypto-enabled platform to test AI agents for secure, scalable payments in the UK. The partnership lets autonomous software handle commercial transactions without human intervention — a step Visa says will define the next phase of commerce.
What the partnership covers
Under the programme, Wirex will trial agent-initiated payments in three initial areas: Software as a Service subscriptions, marketing spend optimisation, and corporate procurement automation. The goal is to prove that AI-driven agents can operate within existing payment rails while maintaining security and compliance. Wirex’s own agent product, Wirex Agents, will be part of the testing stack.
Why Wirex fits the role
Wirex is the only crypto-enabled platform with both Visa and Mastercard principal membership — a status that lets it issue cards and process transactions directly. That infrastructure, plus its track record of serving over 8 million users across 130 countries and processing more than $20 billion in transactions, makes it a logical partner for Visa’s agentic push. The company also operates a unified ecosystem spanning Wirex One, Wirex BaaS, Wirex Business, and Wirex Private.
What’s next for agentic payments
CEO Pavel Matveev said agentic interactions “will define the next phase of commerce,” adding that real use-cases are emerging now, not years away. The UK pilot will begin shortly, with Wirex focusing on proving that AI agents can negotiate pricing, authorise payments, and reconcile accounts automatically. If successful, the model could expand to other markets — but for now, all eyes are on the early test runs in Britain.
