Engineering Scalable and Compliant Payment Systems for Autonomous Agentic Commerce

Abstract

Autonomous agentic commerce represents a fundamental transformation in digital transaction ecosystems. Software agents executing commercial functions on behalf of human principals introduce unprecedented challenges for payment infrastructure. Traditional payment architectures designed for human-initiated transactions cannot accommodate machine-speed processing requirements. Existing compliance frameworks presuppose direct human accountability at transaction origination points. The absence of integrated architectural solutions addressing scalability, regulatory compliance, identity management, and dispute resolution simultaneously creates significant barriers to agentic commerce adoption. This article presents a comprehensive framework for payment system architecture supporting autonomous commercial agents. The Verifiable Agent Credential (VAC) protocol establishes cryptographic binding between agent identities and human principal profiles. Agent attestation services validate authorization scope against verified identity profiles for each transaction. Real-time sanctions screening employs phonetic matching algorithms and transliteration logic supporting multiple script systems. Behavioral fraud detection models calibrated for non-human transaction patterns identify compromised credentials and account takeover attempts. Automated dispute resolution mechanisms generate comprehensive evidentiary timelines enabling liability attribution across delegation relationships. The framework synthesizes distributed systems architecture, cryptographic protocols, and machine learning (ML) capabilities into a cohesive design paradigm. Payment infrastructure incorporating these architectural principles supports the projected expansion of agentic commerce while maintaining regulatory adherence and consumer protection guarantees essential to financial system integrity.