Stripe and Tempo have co-authored the Machine Payments Protocol (MPP), an open standard enabling autonomous AI agents to make programmatic payments without human intervention or traditional checkout flows.
Solving the Agent Commerce Problem
Current financial systems were not designed for machines. AI agents struggle with typical purchase flows that require account creation, navigation of pricing pages, payment entry, and billing setup—often needing human intervention to complete transactions.
MPP eliminates these friction points by providing an internet-native way for agents to pay:
- Agents request resources from services
- The service responds with a payment request
- The agent authorizes payment
- The resource is delivered
Seamless Integration with Existing Infrastructure
For Stripe users, MPP transactions appear in their standard dashboard and API like human payments. Funds settle in their default currency on normal payout schedules, making adoption straightforward for existing merchants.
The protocol supports:
- Microtransactions and recurring payments
- Stablecoins, fiat cards, and buy-now-pay-later methods
- Agent-to-service and agent-to-agent transactions
- Full integration with Stripe's tax calculation, fraud protection, and refunds
Early Adopters and Availability
The announcement came on March 18, 2026, with early access now available for integration. Early adopters include Browserbase, PostalForm, and Prospect Butcher Co., demonstrating diverse use cases from web automation to e-commerce.
Key Takeaways
- MPP is an open standard co-authored by Stripe and Tempo
- Enables autonomous agents to make payments without human intervention
- Integrates seamlessly with existing Stripe infrastructure
- Supports multiple payment methods including stablecoins and fiat