- The Universal Commerce Protocol proposes a common language for commerce with AI agents throughout the entire purchase journey.
- Google integrates it into Gemini and Search's AI mode to enable native purchases with Google Pay and other methods.
- Ant International is driving secure and alternative payments, with EasySafePay and AI-based risk management and MPC.
- The standard is open, interoperable with other protocols (AP2, A2A, MCP) and seeks to scale agent trading globally.
The launch of Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) Google's initiative marks a new attempt to regulate the emerging ecosystem of AI-mediated commerce. This open standard aims to become the technical foundation upon which applications, merchants, and payment providers can coordinate to manage the entire purchase journey, from product search to after-sales service.
Backed by major players such as Ant International, Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target or WalmartThe UCP arrives at a time when AI assistants are beginning to directly influence what is bought, how it is paid for, and which platforms concentrate commercial traffic. Although many of the initial deployments are focused on the US market, the protocol's ambition is clearly global, with implications that are expected to reach Europe and Spain as integrations become more widespread.
What exactly is the Universal Commerce Protocol?
The Universal Commerce Protocol is conceived as a open standard for so-called “agent trading”That is, purchases managed wholly or partially by AI agents that interact on behalf of the user. Instead of each merchant or service provider having to create specific integrations with each assistant, the UCP offers a common language so that all these systems can understand each other.
The underlying idea is that Agents and trading platforms speak the same language in all phases of the process: product discovery, comparison, purchase completion, payment, and after-sales support. Thus, a single protocol can cover functions that today typically require multiple APIs and custom development.
Google describes the UCP as a framework designed for to operate in different sectors and verticalsThis approach prevents AI-powered commerce from being limited to a specific type of product or service. It would allow the same standard to be used for everything from selling fashion to managing restaurant reservations or local services, with the potential to expand to the European market as businesses adopt it.
Furthermore, the UCP is not born in isolation: it has been designed to be compatible with other existing protocols in the world of AI agents, such as Agent2Agent (A2A), Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) and Model Context Protocol (MCP)In this way, agents can combine parts from different standards without having to give up what has already been deployed.
How the UCP is integrated into Gemini and Google Search
One of the first testing grounds for the protocol will be the [unclear/unclear] itself. shopping experience within Google Search and the Gemini appAccording to the company, users will be able to complete purchases directly in the conversational interface, without being redirected to multiple websites, at least initially with businesses based in the United States.
When a person formulates a query in the AI search with explicit purchase intent —for example, when searching for a specific product for their home or for an event—, the agent will interpret that need and display a selection of items from different vendors. All of this orchestration will rely on the UCP to ensure that agents and store systems coordinate seamlessly.
In this flow, the button “Pay with GPay” This will allow you to review your order and make the payment without leaving the conversation. The shipping information stored in Google Wallet It will be reused to streamline the process, and Google has indicated that it will incorporate PayPal as an additional payment option. The goal is to make the experience as seamless as possible, reducing the traditional steps of navigating between pages, forms, and various payment gateways.
This same logic is being applied to Search's AI mode, where brands will be able to offer Specific discounts in real time While the user is performing complex queries, such as choosing the right rug for a frequently used dining room or selecting furniture for a specific space, the campaigns would be configured to trigger offers the moment the agent detects a relevant purchase context.
Interoperability with other protocols and pilots of new capabilities
The design of the Universal Commerce Protocol places a strong emphasis on the interoperability with other agent standardsGoogle had already been working on the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), unveiled the previous year, which focused more specifically on payment transactions between agents. UCP operates at a broader level. covering the full commercial interaction but being able to work alongside AP2 and other protocols.
Also It has been confirmed that the protocol integrates with Agent2Agent (A2A)designed so that different agents can communicate and collaborate with each other, and with the Model Context Protocol (MCP)This facilitates the connection between AI models and external data sources or tools. This combination opens the door for an assistant to, for example, consult inventory, availability, or customer service information in real time, following a common set of guidelines.
Ant International, for its part, is investing in the co-development of new protocols oriented towards intelligent agents along with other industry partners. Ongoing initiatives include pilot programs to enable card transaction capabilities for AI agents in collaboration with global card networks, which would significantly expand the range of payment methods available in agent-based commerce scenarios.
The modular approach makes it possible for agents and companies Select only the protocol extensions that best fit your needswithout being forced to adopt the entire set of mechanisms. This flexibility is especially relevant for smaller businesses or for European players who need to gradually adapt to new regulations or local regulatory requirements, such as those stemming from PSD2 or future AI regulations in the EU.
Impact on businesses, brands and platforms
Although many of the initial integrations announced have been presented in the US context, the deployment of the UCP and associated tools appears to be geared towards gradually expand to other marketsincluding the European one. Platforms like Shopify or large retailers that already operate in Europe. They could leverage the same standard to connect their catalogs and buying flows with AI agents.
For brands with a presence in Spain, the UCP proposal presents both visibility opportunities in new channels Challenges include measuring results and protecting brand identity in environments where users primarily interact with the assistant, and less so with traditional websites. The granular control that Ant International promises over the display of loyalty programs and offers could be particularly interesting for retail chains already working with digital payment ecosystems.
The protocol could also serve as a basis for integrating, in the future, requirements specific to the community framework, such as higher levels of transparency Regarding recommendation algorithms, additional guarantees of express consent in certain operations, or clear mechanisms for complaints and refunds when the purchase has been managed by a AI agent on behalf of the consumer.
Meanwhile, the major payment infrastructure providers already operating in Europe, from banks to fintechs, could align their own systems with the UCP and with protocols such as AP2 to remain visible and operational in the channels where the demand generated by conversational assistants and generative models is concentrated.
Business agents, dynamic discounts and new data for retailers
Beyond the core of the CPU, Google is introducing New mechanisms for companies to integrate as AI agents within SearchBusinesses will be able to deploy a branded Business Agent that answers user questions directly from the search engine, addressing queries about products, return policies, or service details without the user having to leave the Google environment.
Retailers such as Lowe's, Michael's, Poshmark, and Reebok are already using these capabilitiesAnd the company is expanding the data attributes available in the Merchant Center so that sellers can better describe your items on AI-powered search surfacesThis greater wealth of data aims to help agents deliver more relevant results tailored to user preferences.
In parallel, brands are enabled to offer contextual discounts so that The agent can offer a specific discount precisely when they detect a high probability of conversion.While the user is formulating their query, this type of dynamic promotion It could eventually spread to other marketsadapting to local regulations on advertising and transparency.
The move is part of a broader trend, in which companies like Google, Amazon, Walmart, and OpenAI are launching New standards and products to incorporate AI into all stages of the buying process, from both the consumer and the merchant side. Recent reports, such as those from Adobe, They point to very significant growth in traffic from generative tools to vendor websites.However, there is still a way to go to accurately measure how much of that traffic translates into actual sales.
A trading ecosystem increasingly mediated by AI
With the Universal Commerce Protocol, Google is trying to provide a structured response to the rise of AI agents that They act as intermediaries between users, merchants, and payment providers.Instead of a patchwork of piecemeal integrations and incompatible formats, the company is committed to a standard that allows different players to cooperate and, at the same time, compete on a level playing field within the new conversational environment.
The involvement of partners such as Ant International, as well as compatibility with protocols such as AP2, A2A, and MCP, suggests that The UCP could become one of the central components of digital commerce in the coming yearsAs it spreads beyond the United States and takes hold in markets like Europe, the challenge for retailers, fintechs, and banks will involve... adapting to a scenario in which direct customer relations are increasingly channeled through AI interfacesbut also by taking advantage of the new data, personalization, and secure payment tools that this approach brings to the table.
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