HSBC And Ant Digital Test AI-Agent Payments With Tokenized Deposits

HSBC and Ant Digital Technologies have tested an artificial intelligence agent that selected a digital service and paid for it with tokenized bank deposits settled in real time on a blockchain testnet.

The technical demonstration combined HSBC’s Tokenised Deposit Service with Ant Digital’s Anvita Flow network and Jovay Testnet, a layer-2 blockchain testing environment. HSBC provided settlement capabilities and real-time risk checks, while Anvita Flow coordinated access to the service and the payment process.

The transactions were designed as micropayments, typically defined as payments of less than $2. The companies described the exercise as a technical verification rather than a commercial launch or live customer offering.

The trial is part of a broader series of experiments examining how AI agents could conduct payments on behalf of users. Santander completed a controlled AI-agent payment test through Mastercard’s Agent Pay infrastructure in March. Sygnum tested AI-driven transactions on a blockchain mainnet in May, with customers required to approve and sign each transaction. CaixaBank also completed an AI-agent card transaction through Visa Intelligent Commerce.

AI agents are software systems that can perform tasks across digital services, including selecting services and initiating transactions. Their use in payments raises infrastructure questions because transactions may need to run continuously and settle automatically across multiple platforms.

The European Central Bank is preparing experiments involving AI-enabled payments, micropayments and machine-to-machine transactions through its digital euro innovation program. The experimentation phase is scheduled to run from January through June 2027, while workshops in the first half of 2027 will examine additional payment applications.

HSBC’s latest test remains limited to testnet activity. No commercial rollout or live customer service was announced.