Transaction taken for charity Trussell through an AI-driven checkout process developed within the FCA’s AI Live Testing programme GoCardless has processed the UK’s first live agentic payments transaction through an AI-driven checkout. The transaction supported Trussell, the anti-poverty charity and community of food banks. The donation took place through Trussell’s website using an AI-led payment experience. The transaction marks a significant development for agentic payments in the UK. It also demonstrates how AI agents can support account-to-account transactions. Importantly, the process keeps the payer in control throughout the payment journey.
The entire interaction is in an AI chat. Donors can begin by learning more about what Trussell does. They then choose the amount for a recurring donation. At checkout you can choose from three monthly donation options. Donors can choose to donate £5, £10 or £15 a month. Each option shows how the donated funds will help Trussell’s work. Once the supporter selects an amount, the AI agent will guide the supporter to the next step. The supporter provides their bank details in the payment journey. The AI agent then creates a Direct Debit mandate on behalf of the supporter.
Therefore, the process combines conversational AI with account-to-account payments. It also creates a simpler route for recurring charitable donations. At the same time, supporters retain control over their payment decisions.
Hiroki Takeuchi, co-founder and CEO of GoCardless said, “We’re extremely proud to have processed the UK’s first live agentic bank payment, built under FCA supervision and for a very good cause. The checkout flow is rooted in payer research: 64% of UK consumers are open to AI managing their recurring payments, provided they keep control over limits or final approval. Unlike cards, Direct Debit and Recurring Pay by Bank are specifically built for this.”
“We’ve long argued that account-to-account payments are the natural foundation for agentic commerce, and this groundbreaking transaction turns that core belief into tangible proof.”
AI-Driven Payments Developed Under FCA Testing
GoCardless developed and launched the agentic payment process through the FCA’s AI Live Testing programme. The programme supports the safe and responsible deployment of artificial intelligence. GoCardless joined the programme earlier this year. The initiative provides a framework for testing emerging AI applications in financial services. As a result, the transaction gives GoCardless an opportunity to demonstrate agentic payments in a live environment.
Agentic payments have also been identified as a high-priority use case by the UK government. It sees the technology as a useful stand-in for scaling AI safely across financial services. At the same time, the National Payments Vision supports wider adoption of account to account payments. It wants these payments to be a real alternative to cards. Interest in AI-powered commerce is also growing across the wider marketplace. Morgan Stanley says AI agents will account for up to $385 billion of US e-commerce spending by 2030.
These developments highlight the expanding role of AI payment technology. They also point toward wider adoption of agentic commerce across financial services. For GoCardless, the transaction demonstrates how account-to-account payments can support emerging AI payment models. The company also highlights the importance of keeping customers involved in payment decisions.
Customer in control with GoCardless
Takeuchi also pointed to the importance of payer control in AI-driven payment experiences. The approach leverages existing account-to-account payment methods with automation. GoCardless believes Direct Debit and Recurring Pay by Bank are well-suited to recurring payments managed by AI. These payment methods enable automated payment journeys, but still keep the customer involved.
Therefore, account-to-account payments are viewed as a basis for agentic commerce by the company. Most recently, the latest deal is a live example of this approach. This comes after businesses exploring new ways to embed AI in digital payments. AI agents can be used more and more to help users in payment-related tasks. Still, the experience is very much about customer approval and control.
Trussell Sees Potential for Recurring Donations
The transaction also supports Trussell’s fundraising efforts. The charity works with communities and food banks to help people facing hunger. Recurring donations provide an important source of ongoing support for charitable organisations. Therefore, simplifying the donation process can help supporters commit to regular giving.
Christianne McKenzie, Head of Individual Giving at Trussell, said: “Every recurring donation helps us reach more people in need. If agentic payments make it simpler for someone to commit to giving, that’s a genuine win for everyone as we work to end hunger together. What struck us most was how natural the whole process felt; the giving process is a conversation, not just a form to fill out. That’s exactly the kind of experience we want for our donors.”
The experience presents recurring giving as a conversation rather than a traditional checkout form. Supporters can interact with the AI agent while learning about the charity and selecting their donation. As a result, the transaction connects AI-driven payments with a practical charitable use case. It also demonstrates how agentic payments can support recurring transactions. GoCardless’ transaction further reflects the growing interest in AI payment technology. It combines conversational interfaces, account-to-account payments, and recurring payment infrastructure.
Meanwhile, regulatory testing continues to play an important role in developing these emerging payment models. The FCA’s AI Live Testing programme provides an environment for exploring responsible AI deployment. The GoCardless transaction therefore represents a live example of agentic payments in the UK. It brings together AI, account-to-account payments, and recurring donations within one checkout experience
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News Source: Businesswire.com
