Mastercard and Westpac have completed New Zealand's first fully authenticated agentic transactions on Mastercard's network using its Agent Pay solution.
Following this announcement, Mastercard has completed New Zealand's first fully authenticated agentic transactions through its Agent Pay framework, partnering with Westpac-issued cards to process payments via AI-driven agents across two separate use cases.
The transactions mark an important step in the rollout of agentic commerce — a model in which AI agents autonomously search, decide, and execute purchases on behalf of consumers. One transaction used a Westpac-issued debit card to purchase cinema tickets from Event Cinemas, while a second booked accommodation with QT Hotels & Resorts in Queenstown. Both were processed through IPSI and completed using Maincode's large language model, Matilda. In each case, all parties in the payment flow — issuer, acquirer, and merchant — were able to identify and verify that an AI agent had conducted the transaction.
The strategy follows authenticated agentic transactions Mastercard previously completed in Australia, and is part of a broader rollout that has included launches in the US and pilots in the UAE and Latin America.
How Agent Pay works
According to the official press release, Mastercard's Agent Pay framework was designed to bring AI agents into the payment flow as recognised, governed participants. Rather than operating invisibly, agents are authenticated at each stage of the transaction, allowing issuers, acquirers, and merchants to apply controls, detect fraud, and resolve disputes within existing payment infrastructure. The framework is built around interoperability, meaning it functions across different platforms and partners without requiring bespoke integrations.
The New Zealand transactions were processed through existing card infrastructure using a Westpac-issued debit card, demonstrating that the model is compatible with standard payment rails.
Regional expansion and governance
To support its Australasia and Asia Pacific push, Mastercard has established a regional AI Centre of Excellence focused on the development and governance for agentic commerce. The company is also deploying dedicated agentic commerce teams across the region, including a team based at its Sydney Tech Hub, and is building partnerships with large language model providers across the Asia Pacific.
Consumer appetite for AI-assisted commerce appears to be growing in New Zealand. According to research cited by Mastercard, 69% of consumers believe agentic AI will simplify their lives, while 75% say they are drawn to AI that can interpret intent and act autonomously. Among those already using AI assistants for shopping, 83% report positive experiences. Popular categories include entertainment, clothing, and health and beauty.
The Agent Pay rollout reflects a broader industry effort to establish standards and governance frameworks for AI-driven transactions — an area that has so far lacked consistent structure across markets. Through the process of authenticating agents as visible participants in the payment flow, Mastercard is positioning the framework as a basis for industry-wide interoperability rather than a proprietary closed system. How quickly issuers and merchants across the region adopt compatible infrastructure will be a key factor in determining the pace at which agentic commerce scales beyond pilots.
