Klarna is the most recent payments entity to sign on to Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). The open standard, which provides a framework for AI agents, merchants and payment providers to work together across the shopping lifecycle, was unveiled this month at the National Retail Federation’s headline annual event in New York City.
The protocol is designed to support so-called agentic commerce, in which AI systems assist with product discovery, purchasing and post-purchase support across multiple platforms. By standardizing how agents and commerce systems interact, UCP is intended to make it possible for consumers to complete transactions directly within AI-driven experiences while maintaining interoperability between underlying systems.
Under the agreement, Klarna, a Swedish company that provides installment-based payment options to consumers at online and in-store checkouts, expands on earlier support for Google’s Agent Payments Protocol and bolsters an existing partnership that includes Google Pay, Google Store, Google Play and Google Cloud infrastructure. The companies say the collaboration reflects a broader push toward open standards as AI becomes more embedded in online shopping workflows.
“As AI-driven shopping continues to evolve, it’s important that the underlying commerce infrastructure is built on openness, trust, and transparency,” said David Sykes, chief commercial officer at Klarna. “Supporting UCP is part of Klarna’s broader work with Google to help define responsible, interoperable standards that support the future of shopping.”
Google has positioned UCP as a way to enable commerce interactions across different AI platforms without locking participants into a single ecosystem. Klarna joins payment heavyweights Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal and Stripe in the effort, signaling growing interest in shared protocols as agent-based commerce models continue to emerge.