Mastercard Forms OpenAI and Tencent Partnerships to Drive Agentic Commerce

Mastercard has formed partnerships with OpenAI and Tencent aimed at driving agentic commerce, according to a report by PYMNTS.com. The effort places the payments company alongside two major technology groups as businesses explore how artificial intelligence can take a more active role in digital purchasing and payment experiences.

Agentic commerce generally refers to commerce systems in which AI-powered agents can help users research products, compare options, make decisions or carry out transactions under defined permissions. Mastercard is a global payments network, while OpenAI develops artificial intelligence technology and Tencent operates major internet, payments and technology businesses.

The partnerships highlight growing interest in connecting AI capabilities with established commerce and payment infrastructure. For payment companies and technology platforms, agentic commerce raises practical questions around authorization, user control, security and how consumers and merchants interact with automated purchasing tools.

PYMNTS.com originally reported the partnerships. The announcement signals Mastercard’s focus on developing its role in an emerging area where AI agents may increasingly participate in online commerce workflows.