What is the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2)?
How AI agents can pay, and how you prove the customer agreed
Quick answer: The Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) is an open standard from Google, announced in September 2025, that lets an AI agent pay on a customer’s behalf. Signed digital “mandates” record exactly what the customer approved, so everyone can prove it later.
The problem it solves
If an AI assistant buys something for you, three questions appear. Did the customer really ask for this? Did the agent buy the right thing? Who is responsible if it goes wrong? Card systems were built for a person clicking “pay”, not for an agent acting alone.
Mandates in plain English
AP2 answers with mandates. A mandate is a digitally signed record of what the customer allowed.
- Intent mandate: what the agent may buy, for example “a train ticket to Manchester under £60 on Friday”.
- Cart mandate: the exact item and price the customer approved before paying.
Because they are signed, the shop, the payment provider and the customer can all check the same proof. That proof is what settles a dispute.
Does it replace card payments?
No. AP2 sits on top of existing payment methods. It adds the missing proof of intent. It is designed to work alongside A2A (agents talking) and MCP (agents using tools).
Should a UK small business act now?
Most do not need to build AP2 today. The standard is new and still developing. What you can do now is make your products, prices and policies clear and machine-readable, so agents can recommend you. Use our readiness checklist first, then add AP2 when your customers start asking agents to pay.
When you are ready, our AP2 implementation service starts from £4,000 and is quoted after a free call.
Why we care about proof of consent
Heimdell Tech Ai already runs a verified-consent service that records what customers agreed to. AP2 applies the same idea to payments made by agents.
Frequently asked questions
Who made AP2?
Google announced it in September 2025 as an open protocol, with support from many payment and technology companies.
What is a mandate?
A signed digital record of what the customer approved, such as an item, a price limit and a shop.
Can agents spend my money without asking?
Only within the limits you set in an intent mandate, and each purchase can need your signed approval.
Is AP2 live for UK shops?
It is early. Check the current specification and your payment provider before building. We will tell you plainly if it is too soon.
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