Visa backs Replit as it pushes “agentic payments” for AI developers

Visa has made an undisclosed investment in AI coding platform Replit, deepening its push into the emerging field of “agentic payments,” where AI systems and software agents can autonomously initiate and complete transactions on behalf of users.

The two companies are also exploring integrations that would allow developers building on Replit to embed Visa’s payment infrastructure directly into applications, enabling AI agents to accept and process payments without users leaving the platform.

Visa said more than 1,000 of its employees already use Replit for prototyping and development, highlighting the platform’s growing internal adoption within large enterprises experimenting with AI-driven software creation.

Visa building the rails for AI-powered commerce

As part of the partnership, both companies are evaluating how Visa’s Intelligent Commerce suite and its Trusted Agent Protocol could be used to authenticate AI agents during transactions.

The protocol is designed to verify agent identity by sharing key information such as intent and relevant user data, allowing payment systems to distinguish trusted AI actions from malicious or unauthorised activity.

However, the companies stressed that the initiative is still in an exploratory phase, with no formal product rollout announced yet.

The move reflects a broader industry shift as technology firms race to define the infrastructure for AI-mediated commerce, where digital agents are expected to increasingly handle tasks such as shopping, trading, and payments on behalf of users.

Replit’s enterprise push gains momentum

Replit is also expanding its enterprise offerings, introducing a self-serve model that allows companies to sign contracts worth up to $200,000 without direct sales engagement.

The package includes enterprise-grade features such as single sign-on, audit logs, and advanced permissions, aimed at making it easier for organisations to deploy AI-generated applications at scale.

The company has seen rapid growth in recent years, with its valuation rising from $3 billion in September of the previous year to $9 billion within six months after raising $400 million in a Series D round led by Georgian Partners.

Investor interest in AI-assisted development tools continues to accelerate, with platforms like Replit, Cursor, and Lovable attracting strong valuations as demand grows for so-called vibe coding environments.

Replit CEO Amjad Masad said the company’s enterprise traction has been strengthening, adding that customer retention remains high as businesses increasingly rely on its full-stack AI development tools.

He noted that once enterprises adopt Replit’s system, especially in secure single-tenant environments, they tend to retain their applications on the platform due to workflow efficiency and integration depth.

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