LAS VEGAS—Numerous companies use the Money 20/20 Conference as a forum for making announcements of new products, solutions, partnerships and more.
Below is an overview of some of what has been unveiled during the show:
Proof, Circle Internet Group Into Tech Around AI Agent Verification
BOSTON — Proof and Circle Internet Group said they will demonstrate technology that allows an artificial intelligence agent to verify who authorized a purchase and pay a merchant using USDC, combining identity checks and digital payments in a single transaction.
The demonstration at Money20/20 addresses a challenge for businesses: determining who an AI agent represents and whether that person approved a transaction, the companies said in a joint statement.
The system combines Proof’s x401 identity protocol with the x402 payment protocol supported by Circle. Together, they allow a merchant to request proof of identity and payment before completing a purchase, according to the statement.
In the demonstration, a Proof wallet provides a verified credential and signed authorization for the specific purchase. The credential discloses only the information needed for the transaction, rather than the person’s full identification document, the companies said.
The merchant verifies the credential using Proof’s published public keys, and the agent pays in USDC through a Circle Agent Wallet. The merchant retains signed evidence of the purchase authorization that could be used in a dispute.
Mesh in Partnership with Visa
SAN FRANCISCO — Mesh announced a partnership with Visa designed to let consumers spend cryptocurrency and stablecoin balances held in participating digital wallets at merchants accepting Visa.
The arrangement would allow consumers to pay in stores and online without first transferring funds to a bank account or loading a separate card, Mesh said. Visa’s acceptance network spans more than 175 million merchant locations across more than 200 countries and territories, according to the announcement.
Mesh said its technology would provision a Visa payment credential behind the scenes and handle transaction funding and currency conversion. Merchants would receive standard payments without changing checkout systems or installing new hardware.
Participating platforms could offer the service through a single Mesh integration without building and managing their own card programs. Mesh would manage the program, including customer onboarding and identity verification, the company said.
Digital Gold Market Projected to Grow.
LAS VEGAS — The digital gold market could grow to $160 billion to $170 billion by 2031, driven by investor interest that remains constrained by concerns about trust, access, usefulness and cost, according to research from the World Gold Council and Boston Consulting Group.
The market, currently valued at $45 billion to $55 billion, could tap as much as $700 billion in potential demand if adoption barriers were eliminated, the report estimated. That figure is not a near-term forecast.
Nearly nine in 10 investors surveyed said they would consider digital gold under the right conditions, including stronger consumer protections, transparent backing, easier redemption and clearer regulation.
About 65% of potential demand comes from people who do not own gold. The report’s base case projects about $95 billion in new gold demand by 2031.
Tokenized gold, one segment of the market, has grown fivefold since late 2024 to about $6 billion.
Mastercard Unveils Risk Intelligence Service
LAS VEGAS — Mastercard announced a risk intelligence service it said is designed to help financial institutions detect fraud, scams, sanctions exposure and other financial crime risks in stablecoin payments, including before funds move onto a blockchain.
The company introduced Stablecoin Security at Money20/20 USA, naming Borderless.xyz and Keyrails as its initial partners. The service is launching in North America, with worldwide commercial availability expected in 2027, Mastercard said.
The system combines payment information with blockchain analytics to assess transaction context, the origin of funds and exposure to restricted parties. It generates risk scores before payments are completed and can be integrated into institutions’ existing fraud and compliance systems, according to Mastercard.
The company said the service addresses increasingly complex payment flows as stablecoins gain ground in cross-border and business-to-business transactions. Mastercard plans to expand adoption in 2027, including through stablecoin infrastructure provider BVNK.
Thunes, Coinbase Partner to Expand Cross-Border Payments
LAS VEGAS — Thunes and Coinbase announced a partnership to expand cross-border payments by connecting stablecoin infrastructure with networks serving bank accounts and mobile wallets.
Under the agreement announced Oct. 19 at Money20/20 USA, Coinbase will integrate Thunes’ Direct Global Network, giving its customers access to local clearing systems and alternative payment methods across more countries and currencies, the companies said.
Thunes will provide real-time delivery to billions of mobile wallets and bank accounts, including in regions with limited banking infrastructure. Coinbase, meanwhile, will supply technology to help Thunes integrate stablecoins more broadly across its network.
The companies said potential uses include supplier payments, international gig worker payouts and remittances. They said the collaboration aims to expand stablecoin use by improving connections between digital assets and traditional financial systems.
