Dubai – Sharikat Mubasher: Visa announced it has launched its “Agentic Ready” program in the UAE, aiming to help banks and fintech companies test and scale AI-powered commerce experiences as interest in agent-led transactions continues to grow across the region.

According to a recent press release, this program is part of Visa’s wider rollout across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA), and is designed to support the next phase of digital commerce, where AI agents can assist consumers in discovering, selecting, and completing purchases securely on their behalf.

In its initial phase, the program allows financial institutions to test agent-initiated transactions in a controlled production environment before broader market adoption. Several UAE-based financial institutions have already joined the initiative, including Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Emirates NBD, Mashreq, Tabby, Wio, and Ziina.

Fadi Moukaddem, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar, said the UAE is witnessing growing interest in AI-powered commerce alongside a strong focus on trust and security in digital transactions.

The launch aligns with the UAE’s broader strategy to build a future-ready digital economy supported by advanced infrastructure, innovation-friendly regulations, and continued efforts toward a cashless society.