Stripe reports growth in AI agent shopping and how Link pays for it
What happened
On October 19, The Decoder reported that Stripe says purchases made by AI agents through Link grew 38-fold in September, with payment value up 20-fold. Stripe did not disclose the actual number or value of transactions. Upstarts Media noted the growth starts from a low base. Stripe executive Dan Hill said the number of agents using the service rose from about 70 at the time of analysis to about 200, most spending around $100 per purchase. On mechanics, Link gives an agent a separate 16-digit number instead of the user's real card number, and users can set spending limits. Public information still does not show the actual scale of these transactions.
Written by AI from the coverage · updated 3 hours ago
Coverage
Follow the reports to see the story from different sides.
- The DecoderStripe says AI agent purchases are adding up, but it won't share the numbers
Stripe称AI智能体通过Link购物的交易笔数在9月增至38倍、支付金额增至20倍，但未披露实际笔数和金额。Upstarts Media报道指出，增长起点较低；Stripe高管Dan Hill称，使用该服务的智能体已从分析时约70个增至约200个，多数每笔消费约$100。Link为智能体提供单独的16位号码而非用户真实信用卡号，用户可设置支出限额。
Heat over time
Heat now 9·Comparable peak 10（Oct 19 22:00）·Comparable change over 24 hours –
The trend only compares accounts observed without gaps, so its range may be smaller than the current heat. Hover or tap the chart for each hour; the left and right arrow keys step through it.