Protocol / standardPublic reference
AP2
Agent Payments Protocol
Verifiable credentials and mandates record what a user authorized an agent to purchase or pay for.
THE QUESTION IT ADDRESSES
How can a merchant verify that a purchase was authorized?
A concise reading of published information. The explanatory grouping below is editorial, not an implementation test.
A simplified mechanism
- Capture scoped user authorization.
- Bind the checkout and payment through signed credentials.
- Allow participants to verify the authorization trail.
What it does not establish
An authorization protocol is not itself a funded wallet or a settlement network. Sample flows are not evidence of universal merchant acceptance.
Where it fits
Official samples cover cards and x402. UCP documents AP2 integration.
Sources & further reading
Sources reviewed on2026-10-26. Summaries are paraphrased; follow the current source for changes.