Stripe updates Link wallet to support autonomous AI agents

Financial services platform Stripe is updating its Link digital wallet to allow integration with autonomous AI agents. The update, announced this week at Stripe’s annual conference, enables these software programs to perform tasks such as shopping, paying for reservations, and buying tickets on behalf of users. By connecting their AI agents to Link, users can authorize transactions without exposing their raw payment credentials to the software.

To establish this connection, users grant their AI agents access to the Link wallet through OAuth, which is a standard authentication flow. Once connected, the agent can generate a spend request, present the context to the user, and await approval via a mobile or web notification. The system is built on Stripe’s “Issuing for agents” infrastructure, which allows the generation of virtual cards for autonomous purchases with real-time authorization and spending controls. Instead of sharing raw credentials, users can provide agents with programmatic access to Link to generate a one-time-use card, or use a Shared Payment Token (SPT), which is a token backed by payment cards and banks. Currently, the system supports traditional payment methods, but Stripe plans to support agentic tokens, stablecoins, and other payment types “soon.” In the future, Stripe will expand controls to allow users to set spending limits or choose when agents act without approval.

The update comes amid growing interest in autonomous AI, with users experimenting with agents like OpenClaw. This interest has grown to the point that Apple sold out of its base model Mac Minis, which are popular platforms for running always-on AI agents. However, Stripe acknowledges the security concerns inherent in these transactions, noting that some people (rightly) take pause at the idea of giving an agent raw payment information. To address security and consumer confidence, Link offers 90 days of protection on eligible purchases from select merchants. The wallet, which is available on the web, iOS, and Android, also allows users to connect payment methods like cards, banks, and crypto wallets, while tracking recurring subscriptions and viewing overall spending.

Why it matters

Stripe is bridging the gap between autonomous AI agents and real-world commerce by creating a secure, permission-based payment layer that protects user credentials while enabling agentic spending.