MWC 2026 Showcases 'Agentic Stack' Reshaping Mobile Payments and Digital Identity

The “agentic stack” integrates multiple AI agents, operating systems, app permissions and payment authentication, allowing phones to understand context and perform tasks across services. Smartphones already store digital identities, payment credentials, biometric data and communications records. They are therefore evolving from tools that respond to commands into gateways for authorization, payments and service orchestration, reshaping competition among platforms and financial-services providers.

Organized by GSMA, MWC 2026 was held in Barcelona from March 2 to 5. Samsung demonstrated its multi-agent Galaxy AI: Gemini can organize a group food order and build a DoorDash cart, although a person must still confirm checkout. Deutsche Telekom unveiled Mobile.ID, which uses Bluetooth and NFC to turn a phone into a digital key. Honor also pledged to invest $10 billion in AI devices over five years.