China’s online and mobile payment platform Alipay has launched a new AI-powered payment service that allows autonomous AI agents to make purchases and complete transactions based on user instructions.

In a release on Tuesday, Alipay said these tools, also known as “lobsters” in China, can execute tasks on behalf of users without requiring coding or complex setup.

The service builds on Alipay AI Pay, introduced in 2025, which enables transactions through voice commands without switching between applications. The platform surpassed 100 million users in February 2026 and processed more than 120 million transactions during the week of February 5–11.

The new feature expands these capabilities by enabling OpenClaw-type AI agents to complete payments with user authorization. After installing the service into an AI agent and completing identity verification, users can instruct the agent to carry out tasks such as renewing subscriptions. Transactions require user confirmation and can be modified or canceled at any time.

The service has been integrated into platforms including Alibaba Cloud’s JVS Claw and DTClaw from Ant Group Digital Technologies. It is also compatible with other OpenClaw-type AI agents such as Claude Code and Hermes Agent.

The system includes multiple layers of security, including user-initiated activation, identity verification, transaction authorization, and continuous risk monitoring, according to Alipay.

The launch comes as AI-driven commerce expands in China. The payment system has been used across various applications, including retail platforms such as Luckin Coffee, AI-enabled devices like Rokid smart glasses, and consumer AI applications such as Qwen.

In addition to consumer services, Alipay introduced several developer-focused tools designed to support AI commercialization, including Payment MCP Server, Payment Integration Skill, AI Tipping, and AI subscription payment services.

Sri Lanka, Alipay+ partner up to tap 1.8B users in tourism push