Stripe reports that AI agents are increasingly using its Link payment service to shop for users, with transaction numbers growing 38-fold and payment volume increasing 20-fold in September. While Stripe has not disclosed the exact financial totals or transaction counts behind these figures, executive Dan Hill notes that the overall volume is now becoming significant despite starting from a small base.
When Stripe conducted its analysis, about 70 AI agents were using the service, and that number has since grown to approximately 200, including Meta's Muse and Grok Bot. Most agents average about $100 per transaction, though some handle high-value purchases like furniture and flights worth thousands of dollars. Retail accounted for 36 percent of transactions and 32 percent of volume, followed closely by travel.
The Link service protects user financial data by issuing a separate 16-digit number rather than sharing real credit card details, and it allows users to set specific spending limits. While Anthropic and OpenAI also utilize Link, they are not yet using it for automated agent purchases, and Stripe faces expected competition from rivals like PayPal and Shopify's Shop Pay in this emerging market.
Why it matters: As AI agents begin handling real-world financial transactions for everyday shopping, secure payment infrastructure like Stripe's Link will play a crucial role in enabling autonomous commerce.