The digital payment landscape in China has reached a significant milestone as Alipay’s agentic-powered AI Pay solution recorded over 120 million transactions in a single week. Announced on 13 February 2026, this surge in volume underscores a rapid shift in consumer behaviour, where autonomous AI agents are increasingly entrusted with financial transactions.
The Rise of Agentic Commerce
Launched in 2025, AI Pay represents a departure from traditional “click-to-pay” interfaces. It is a specialised payment infrastructure designed to allow AI agents—software entities capable of reasoning and taking action—to execute payments on behalf of users. Whether integrated into mobile applications, “mini-programs,” or wearable hardware, the system streamlines the purchasing process by removing manual hurdles.
According to a press release from Alipay, the evolution of digital services in the “AI era” has fundamentally altered user expectations. Chinese consumers are no longer satisfied with mere digital wallets; they now demand intelligent, friction-free methods that allow AI assistants to handle everything from ordering a morning latte to purchasing digital assets.
Key Partnerships and Hardware Integration
The success of AI Pay is attributed to its seamless integration across both software and physical retail ecosystems. Notable early adopters include:
Luckin Coffee: The mainland’s coffee giant has integrated AI Pay into its brick-and-mortar retail apps, allowing customers to use voice-activated or predictive AI agents to manage their caffeine fixes.
Rokid (Smart Glasses): In December 2025, Alipay partnered with Rokid to embed AI payment capabilities directly into the agents developed on the Lingzhu platform. This allows users of AI smart glasses to make purchases through a “heads-up” interface without needing to reach for a smartphone.
Alibaba’s Qwen App: Leveraging the power of large language models, the Qwen App uses AI Pay to facilitate “Agentic Commerce,” where the AI can research, suggest, and ultimately buy products for the user.
Establishing the Framework for Trust
To ensure the security of these autonomous transactions, Alipay launched the Agentic Commerce Trust Protocol in January 2026. Developed alongside partners such as Taobao Instant Commerce, this protocol sets the industry standard for how AI agents identify themselves, verify user intent, and maintain data privacy during a transaction.
| Milestone Date | Achievement / Partnership | Significance |
| Early 2025 | Launch of AI Pay | First dedicated payment rail for AI agents. |
| Dec 2025 | Rokid Integration | Expansion into “Heads-up” wearable hardware. |
| Jan 2026 | Trust Protocol Launch | Standardisation of security for autonomous payments. |
| Feb 2026 | 120m Weekly Transactions | Evidence of mass-market adoption in China. |
The Road Ahead
The momentum behind AI Pay suggests that “Agentic Commerce” is moving from a niche technological concept to a mainstream financial utility. As AI agents become more sophisticated in their ability to manage complex tasks—such as booking travel itineraries or managing household utilities—the underlying payment layer provided by Alipay is positioned to become the invisible backbone of the modern Chinese economy.
The challenge remains in maintaining the delicate balance between convenience and security. However, with transaction volumes hitting nine figures, it appears the Chinese public has already cast its vote in favour of the AI-driven future.