[TokenPost Column] AI Agent Payment War Begins......Can Bitcoin Seize the Opportunity in the Korean Market

The Korean payment market is actually dominated by tech giants like Kakao Pay, Naver Pay, and Toss, offering convenient payment options. From the consumer’s perspective, this is a structure that’s hard to find inconvenient. However, some predict that the emergence of AI agents could create cracks in this solid ecosystem. For the Bitcoin community, this might be an opportunity to capture new payment markets without directly confronting fiat currencies.

■ Existing payment methods are rendered ineffective in front of AI agents

Whether it’s Kakao Pay, credit cards, or payments linked to Naver Shopping, they all become unusable in an environment where AI agents autonomously make purchases. Major Korean shopping sites and e-commerce platforms are filled with CAPTCHAs and identity verification procedures designed to block bots. It’s not a structure where intelligent agents can explore and complete payments on their own.

Ultimately, whichever payment method becomes the standard for AI agents—be it Coupang or Naver Smart Store—all sellers will face the need to adapt to the new system. This is the moment when the vested interests of existing tech giants’ convenient payment systems are diluted.

■ Global tech giants are already taking action

Visa has launched “AI Smart Commerce,” OpenAI and Stripe have introduced the “Agent Commerce Protocol (ACP).” Google has released AP2, and Coinbase has showcased “x402,” a cryptocurrency-based payment system. The competition to establish the standard for AI agent payments has officially begun on a global level.

In Korea, Kakao, Naver, and Toss are also expanding their AI services, but no company has yet built a payment infrastructure specifically designed for AI agents. This means that even domestic players start on equal footing.

■ What should the Korean Bitcoin community do now

While Korea’s cryptocurrency market boasts some of the world’s highest trading volumes, its connection to real-life payments remains weak. This is mainly because the dominant view is to see Bitcoin solely as an investment asset.

However, the era of AI agent payments could change this landscape. Bitcoin payments based on the Lightning Network are technically ready. Monthly transaction volume has surpassed $10 billion, and overseas, integration with offline merchants has already begun. Korea also needs to act—link Bitcoin wallets with AI agents and try actual payments. If there are no participating stores, create them. For sellers who don’t accept Bitcoin, directly requesting them to do so through AI agents is also an option.

■ The stablecoin replacement theory is riskier in Korea

Although stablecoins are mentioned as an alternative to AI agent payments, the risks are higher in the Korean context. Stablecoins pegged to the Korean won have not yet gained a foothold within the regulatory framework, and payments based on USDC/USDT could conflict with foreign exchange controls. If structures like Coinbase’s platform and interest on currencies are transplanted into Korea, it could ultimately lead to another dependency on tech giants.

In contrast, Bitcoin is not issued or controlled by any specific company. Even under Korea’s regulatory environment, its neutrality as a payment method surpasses that of any stablecoin.

■ The opportunity is now; action depends on the community

Bitcoin’s status as a global reserve asset is accelerating its establishment. However, shifting to everyday payment methods is a completely different battle. Just as Naver Pay emerged in an era without Kakao Pay, the infrastructure for AI agent payments will be set by early builders who define the standards. Now is the time for the Korean Bitcoin community to move beyond investment discussions and start building payment infrastructure.