Universal Commerce Protocol on Google

The Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) is an open-source communication standard co-developed by Google and Shopify that launched on January 11, 2026. It enables “agentic commerce” by providing a common language for AI agents to interact directly with retailer backends, allowing users to find products and complete purchases without leaving their conversational interface.

Core Capabilities

The protocol standardizes the commerce lifecycle through several key layers:

• Discovery & Negotiation: AI agents query a business’s manifest (located at /.well-known/ucp) to identify supported services like checkout flows or fulfillment methods.
• Native Checkout: Agents can create carts, apply discounts, and process payments using saved credentials from digital wallets.
• Handoff & Escalation: A “seamless handoff” mechanism allows agents to redirect users to a merchant’s embedded checkout if a task—such as a high-value order—requires human review.
• Post-Purchase Support: The protocol facilitates order tracking, delivery updates, and return management.

Key Partners and Adoption

The protocol is supported by major global retailers and payment providers, including:

• Retailers: Walmart, Target, Etsy, Wayfair, The Home Depot, Best Buy, and Macy’s.
• Payments: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Stripe, and Adyen.
• AI Integration: Eligible US-based retailers can be accessed via Gemini and Google Search’s AI Mode.

Merchant and Security Features

• Control: Retailers remain the “Merchant of Record,” maintaining direct customer relationships and control over data and fulfillment.
• Security: UCP uses a tokenization-first model where sensitive payment data is cryptographically bound to a specific transaction ID to prevent reuse or interception.
• Integration: Merchants manage their eligibility and product data through Google Merchant Center, which acts as the trust layer for the protocol.