The Emerging Payments Association Asia (EPAA) launched an AI and Agentic Payments Working Group with founding member HSBC to help set standards for AI-led payments in the region.

EPAA said the group will focus on agent identity, authentication, liability, fraud controls, dispute resolution, and regulatory engagement.

The work comes as AI agents begin making consumer and business payments across Asia Pacific.

In this context, agentic payments are initiated autonomously by AI agents, rather than through fixed instructions such as autopay or scheduled transfers.

EPAA said it works with regulators, and counts Commonwealth Bank, Mastercard, PayPal, and Swift among its members.

The group cited an HSBC and Mastercard Singapore pilot, which linked a multinational buyer, procurement platform SourceSage, and supplier FortyTwo in a live business-to-business (B2B) transaction.

It also pointed to Alipay’s reported 120 million AI payment transactions in one week in China.

The effort also comes as authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore have issued AI governance guidance for finance, though not specifically for agentic payments.

EPAA said it plans to deliver policy recommendations in November 2027 after working with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) governments and central banks.

🔗 Source: The Emerging Payments Association Asia (EPAA)

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