AI Agents in Commerce: A $53 Billion Boon or a Security Risk?
The emergence of AI agents in commerce is expected to reach $53.2 billion globally by 2030, according to The Business Research Company's AI Agents Global Market Report.
This forecast represents a significant increase from the current market value of $8.3 billion in 2025 and $12.1 billion in 2026, with an annual growth rate of 44.9%.
The rapid expansion of AI agents is causing concerns about security and trust, as software is increasingly spending money on behalf of people and institutions without clear authorization or verification.
Major payment companies such as Visa (NYSE: V), Mastercard (NYSE: MA), American Express (NYSE: AXP), and Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP) are launching their own agent commerce protocols to address these issues, but the lack of standardization is creating a strain on the system.