HONG KONG, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PhotonPay, a next-generation financial operating system, today announced a milestone in agentic transaction together with Mastercard, marking a significant step in the exploration of AI-driven financial infrastructure in Hong Kong.
In a live operational demonstration, a PhotonPay tokenized card was securely provisioned for use by an AI agent, which autonomously initiated and completed a real-world payment transaction on behalf of a user. In this end-to-end use case, the AI agent identified, selected, and booked a ride via hoppa — a global mobility provider — from Southside By Ovolo to Ocean Park Hong Kong, seamlessly executing the transaction within the test flow.
The programmable financial infrastructure of PhotonPay provides the underlying foundation for the solution, leveraging real-time settlement capabilities and native API orchestration to enable millisecond-level responsiveness for financial instructions. With Mastercard Agent Pay, Mastercard provides authentication and security mechanisms for transactions initiated by AI agents. Throughout the transaction process, user authorization, identity verification, and data protection are effectively enforced, establishing a strong foundation for the compliant and secure adoption of agentic payments.
"This milestone represents a meaningful step forward in the commercialization of agentic payments," said Gabriel, Global Head of Financial Institutions at PhotonPay. "Through close work with partners such as Mastercard, we are connecting intelligent decision-making with reliable financial execution — enabling AI agents to operate with the same trust and assurance as conventional payment flows, while delivering the speed and flexibility that programmable money enables."
Looking ahead, PhotonPay is deepening its investment in agentic payment infrastructure, with a strategic focus on building a programmable financial layer natively integrated with global payment networks.
By converging real-time settlement, on-demand liquidity, and API-native orchestration, PhotonPay positions AI agents to dynamically route transactions, optimise foreign exchange execution, and complete payments with minimal friction. This hybrid architecture is designed to establish a unified execution layer — one in which value moves with the same speed and fluidity as information itself.
Building on this foundation, PhotonPay is collaborating with leading networks like Mastercard to establish the standards and trust frameworks necessary for global agentic commerce. This synergy bridges programmable, digital-native capabilities with the regulatory rigor and security of established financial infrastructure—creating a reliable operating system designed to empower the agentic economy.
About PhotonPay
PhotonPay is a next-generation financial operating system built for global infrastructure. Designed for modern enterprises and platforms, PhotonPay enables businesses to send, receive, convert, and settle funds across multiple rails — through a single, compliance-first integration. With coverage spanning 200+ countries and territories and regulatory authorisations secured across key global markets, PhotonPay is redefining how value moves in the agentic economy — serving as the financial execution layer for a world of autonomous commerce.
For more information, visit [www.photonpay.com].
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PhotonPay Completes its First Live Agentic Payment Together with Mastercard
- Boosting energy efficiency in hazardous areas is critical for operators seeking to reduce their operating costs while also meeting sustainability targets
- Certification to ATEX and IECEx requirements enables IE6 technology to be deployed in hazardous areas
- IE6 Hyper-Efficiency SynRM motor reduces energy losses by 60 percent over a standard IE3 induction motor, making it the ideal upgrade solution for pumps, fans and compressors
ZURICH, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ABB is the world's first manufacturer to offer an IE6 Hyper–Efficiency motor certified to ATEX and IECEx requirements for use in hazardous areas. The new IE6 Increased safety motor, based on ABB's magnet- and rare earth- free synchronous reluctance (SynRM) technology, offers up to 60 percent lower energy losses than the IE3 induction motors commonly used in Zones 1 and 2. This enables operators to realize a major boost in energy efficiency and avoided carbon emissions in industries where gas, vapor or dust might be present, such as chemicals, marine, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals and food & beverage.
The IE6 SynRM Increased safety motor is certified for use with variable speed drives (VSDs) to offer accurate control and high efficiency throughout the whole speed range, even at partial loads. This makes it the ideal upgrade for standard IE3 induction motors in pumps, fans and compressors. Over a typical 20-year service life, the energy savings from switching just one motor up to IE6 would be €87,5201, resulting in an eight-month payback period with 157,540 kg CO2 avoided—equivalent to 37 gasoline powered passenger cars driven for a year.
"In its Energy Efficiency report 2025, the IEA highlights the pressing need to make sustainable technology available as an affordable choice. And that is central to ABB's own Engineered to Outrun philosophy," said Stefan Floeck, President IEC LV Motors, ABB. "With the world's first IE6 Hyper–Efficiency SynRM motor for hazardous areas, we now have the ideal solution for customers who must drive down their operating expenses while meeting stringent sustainability targets."
The new IE6 SynRM Increased safety motor covers ratings from 110 kW, with IE5 versions available for up to 90 kW. As well as increased reliability and reduced maintenance, SynRM technology enables a more cost-effective installation. In Zone 1, cooler running can allow the use of an Increased safety SynRM motor where a Flameproof motor with a special enclosure would be the traditional choice. Furthermore, in Zone 2, the improved loadability of SynRM motors enables more power from the same size as an equivalent induction motor. This could enable a smaller, lower-cost motor to fulfil the same duty.
ABB's IE6 and IE5 SynRM technology is part of the industry's broadest portfolio of IEC LV motors for hazardous areas, with induction alternatives up to IE4 efficiency level. Whatever the technology, these motors combine robust construction, high energy efficiency, and reliable operation to deliver trusted performance and certified safety in the most demanding environments.
To learn more about ABB's IE6 SynRM motors for hazardous areas, visit this website: https://www.abb.com/global/en/areas/motion/motors-generators/low-voltage-motors/iec-low-voltage-motors/motors-for-explosive-atmospheres
1 - Based on a 110 kW motor operating 8,760 hours/year at 75 percent average load, with an assumed energy cost of €0.20/kWh.
ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB, we call this 'Engineered to Outrun'. The company has over 140 years of history and around 110,000 employees worldwide. ABB's shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). www.abb.com
ABB Motion, a global leader in motors and drives, is at the core of accelerating a more productive and sustainable future. We innovate and push the boundaries of technology to contribute to energy efficient, decarbonizing and circular solutions for customers, industries and societies. With our digitally enabled drives, motors and services we support our customers and partners to achieve better performance, safety and reliability. To help the world's industries outrun – leaner and cleaner, we deliver motor-driven solutions for a wide range of applications in all industrial segments. Building on over 140 years of domain expertise in electric powertrains, our more than 23,000 employees across 100 countries learn and improve every day. go.abb/motion
For more information please contact:
ABB Motion - Media Relations
media-motion@abb.com
ZURICH, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ABB is the world's first manufacturer to offer an IE6 Hyper–Efficiency motor certified to ATEX and IECEx requirements for use in hazardous areas. The new IE6 Increased safety motor, based on ABB's magnet- and rare earth- free synchronous reluctance (SynRM) technology, offers up to 60 percent lower energy losses than the IE3 induction motors commonly used in Zones 1 and 2. This enables operators to realize a major boost in energy efficiency and avoided carbon emissions in industries where gas, vapor or dust might be present, such as chemicals, marine, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals and food & beverage.
The IE6 SynRM Increased safety motor is certified for use with variable speed drives (VSDs) to offer accurate control and high efficiency throughout the whole speed range, even at partial loads. This makes it the ideal upgrade for standard IE3 induction motors in pumps, fans and compressors. Over a typical 20-year service life, the energy savings from switching just one motor up to IE6 would be €87,5201, resulting in an eight-month payback period with 157,540 kg CO2 avoided—equivalent to 37 gasoline powered passenger cars driven for a year.
"In its Energy Efficiency report 2025, the IEA highlights the pressing need to make sustainable technology available as an affordable choice. And that is central to ABB's own Engineered to Outrun philosophy," said Stefan Floeck, President IEC LV Motors, ABB. "With the world's first IE6 Hyper–Efficiency SynRM motor for hazardous areas, we now have the ideal solution for customers who must drive down their operating expenses while meeting stringent sustainability targets."
The new IE6 SynRM Increased safety motor covers ratings from 110 kW, with IE5 versions available for up to 90 kW. As well as increased reliability and reduced maintenance, SynRM technology enables a more cost-effective installation. In Zone 1, cooler running can allow the use of an Increased safety SynRM motor where a Flameproof motor with a special enclosure would be the traditional choice. Furthermore, in Zone 2, the improved loadability of SynRM motors enables more power from the same size as an equivalent induction motor. This could enable a smaller, lower-cost motor to fulfil the same duty.
ABB's IE6 and IE5 SynRM technology is part of the industry's broadest portfolio of IEC LV motors for hazardous areas, with induction alternatives up to IE4 efficiency level. Whatever the technology, these motors combine robust construction, high energy efficiency, and reliable operation to deliver trusted performance and certified safety in the most demanding environments.
To learn more about ABB's IE6 SynRM motors for hazardous areas, visit this website: https://www.abb.com/global/en/areas/motion/motors-generators/low-voltage-motors/iec-low-voltage-motors/motors-for-explosive-atmospheres
1 - Based on a 110 kW motor operating 8,760 hours/year at 75 percent average load, with an assumed energy cost of €0.20/kWh.
ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB, we call this 'Engineered to Outrun'. The company has over 140 years of history and around 110,000 employees worldwide. ABB's shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). www.abb.com
ABB Motion, a global leader in motors and drives, is at the core of accelerating a more productive and sustainable future. We innovate and push the boundaries of technology to contribute to energy efficient, decarbonizing and circular solutions for customers, industries and societies. With our digitally enabled drives, motors and services we support our customers and partners to achieve better performance, safety and reliability. To help the world's industries outrun – leaner and cleaner, we deliver motor-driven solutions for a wide range of applications in all industrial segments. Building on over 140 years of domain expertise in electric powertrains, our more than 23,000 employees across 100 countries learn and improve every day. go.abb/motion
For more information please contact:
ABB Motion - Media Relations
media-motion@abb.com
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
ABB is first in world to offer a magnet-free IE6 motor for hazardous areas
