Ory and Skyfire Partner to Power Identity and Payments for AI Agents Using Internet-Grade Standards
In a move that could redefine the role of autonomous software in digital economies, Ory, a leading identity and access management platform, has teamed up with Skyfire, the AI-native payment and identity company, to deliver compliant identity and transaction infrastructure for AI agents. The partnership enables AI agents to onboard, authenticate, and pay just like humans—only faster, and without reinventing the internet.
Set to roll out later this year, the integration leverages OAuth2 and OpenID Connect (OIDC)—the same open protocols used to log you into your favorite apps—to give AI agents the power to create accounts, verify identity, and make payments programmatically. That means developers can bring AI agents into the fold without overhauling their security infrastructure or running afoul of compliance frameworks.
“This is a breakthrough that addresses identity security and scale from day one,” said Jeff Kukowski, CEO of Ory. “When you’re talking about millions of agents conducting billions of transactions, you need infrastructure built on proven solutions.”
A Framework for the Agent Economy
Let’s break this down: until now, AI agents—essentially software bots with decision-making capabilities—have largely been sandboxed tools. But with Skyfire’s agent-friendly payment rails and Ory’s security backbone, these bots can now act as first-class economic participants. Think APIs that sign up, verify themselves, and transact—autonomously.
Here’s what the partnership unlocks:
- Agent storefronts via MCP (Model Context Protocol): Agents can select services, prove identity (KYA, or “Know Your Address”), and pay in real time.
- Enterprise-grade compliance: Businesses using Ory won’t need to alter their IAM infrastructure to accept agent users.
- Built-in permissions and auditing: Ory’s relationship-based access control ensures that agent actions remain secure, traceable, and enforceable.
While that might sound a bit sci-fi, the market forces are real. Enterprises are racing to incorporate AI agents into internal tools, user-facing apps, and backend automations. But until now, there’s been no standardized, secure method for handling their identities or wallets. Ory and Skyfire are stepping in to fill that gap—with internet-grade tools, no less.
Who This Matters To—and Why
This isn’t just infrastructure plumbing—it’s a foundational piece of the emerging agent economy. If AI agents are going to browse APIs, buy compute time, subscribe to data streams, or perform high-frequency transactions, they’ll need the same permissions and protections as human users.
For developers, it’s about reducing friction. They can now deploy agent-powered apps without hacking together authentication and payment middleware.
For enterprises, it means onboarding AI agents without introducing new compliance headaches.
For the industry, it signals a broader shift: we’re entering a world where agents aren’t just internal assistants—they’re customers, vendors, and autonomous users.
“This partnership with Ory makes it possible—securely, programmatically, and without reinventing the web,” said Amir Sarhangi, CEO of Skyfire.
What’s Next: Agent-Native Marketplaces
The integration is expected to underpin the rise of AI-native ecosystems—marketplaces where verified agents can discover tools, create accounts, and complete transactions, all without human intervention.
It’s an ambitious vision, but the timing feels right. The agent-as-a-user model is gaining steam, and the need for trustworthy infrastructure is growing just as fast. This collaboration between Ory and Skyfire could be the blueprint others follow.
