Fiserv, Inc. (FISV) is betting big on a future where your AI assistant doesn't just recommend products but actually buys them for you. The payments technology company announced Monday it's partnering with both Mastercard Inc. (MA) and Visa Inc. (V) to build the infrastructure for what's being called "agentic commerce." Think of it as letting AI agents loose in the shopping world, armed with your credit card and (hopefully) your best interests.
The stock liked the news, climbing as investors processed what these partnerships could mean for Fiserv's position in an increasingly automated commerce landscape.
Building the Plumbing for AI Shoppers
The expanded Mastercard partnership puts Fiserv at the forefront of scaling agentic commerce solutions. Here's what that actually means: Fiserv will be among the first major payment processors to implement Mastercard's Agent Pay Acceptance Framework, which is designed to let AI agents make purchases securely and intelligently on behalf of consumers.
Under this arrangement, Fiserv will integrate with Mastercard's Secure Card on File solution, acting as a network token requestor for merchants and partners. The technology uses Mastercard's tokenization system to replace actual card numbers with digital tokens, making transactions both secure and seamless when an AI agent is doing the shopping.
The framework provides what AI agents need to transact safely: tokenization, strong authentication, fraud protection, and governance controls. It's one thing to let an AI assistant browse products for you. It's another thing entirely to let it actually complete purchases without creating security nightmares for merchants and consumers alike.
The partnership also gives merchants tools and insights to maintain control over customer relationships while tapping into new revenue opportunities that agentic commerce promises to unlock.
Chiro Aikat, Co-President, U.S., Mastercard, explained the vision: "These technologies simplify transactions, reduce friction, and enable businesses to deliver faster, more personalized experiences. By working with Fiserv, we're making it easier for merchants to embrace these innovations in ways that add trust, speed and confidence."
Visa Joins the Party
Not to be left out, Visa struck its own strategic partnership with Fiserv to advance similar capabilities. This collaboration integrates Visa Intelligent Commerce and deploys the Trusted Agent Protocol within Fiserv's agentic ecosystem.
The goal is enabling merchants to participate in Agentic Commerce, where AI-driven agents help consumers discover, compare, and purchase products without constant human oversight. Your AI assistant could theoretically shop across multiple merchants, compare prices and features, and complete transactions based on your preferences and budget.
By combining Visa's authentication and agentic commerce tools with Fiserv's extensive merchant network, the partnership aims to provide the secure infrastructure merchants need to operate confidently in an increasingly automated commerce environment.
Visa emphasized that its Intelligent Commerce platform and Trusted Agent Protocol are designed to embed trust across every layer of the agentic commerce experience. Partnerships like the one with Fiserv play a crucial role in scaling these secure, innovative solutions globally for both merchants and consumers.
What It Means
These partnerships position Fiserv as a key infrastructure player in what could be a significant shift in how commerce works. If agentic commerce takes off as predicted, having early relationships with both major card networks gives Fiserv a meaningful advantage in serving merchants who want to participate.
The market seemed to appreciate the strategic positioning. Fiserv shares were trading at $68.90, up 1.43% at the time of publication on Monday. The stock is approaching its 52-week high of $69.43, suggesting investors see potential in Fiserv's role building the payment rails for AI-powered shopping.
Whether consumers actually want AI agents making purchases on their behalf remains to be seen. But if that future arrives, Fiserv just made sure it has a seat at the table with both Mastercard and Visa.