The retail landscape is evolving rapidly, with agentic commerce, which utilizes artificial intelligence to perform tasks on behalf of users, moving from theoretical discussions to tangible implementations. Following last year’s successful introduction of agentic tools for shoppers, the company has made significant strides in streamlining agent-led payments through its Agent Payments Protocol (AP2). This commitment underscores a vision for a future where agentic commerce is accessible, collaborative, and beneficial for all stakeholders involved.
In a pivotal move to enhance retail growth, the company has unveiled the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an innovative open standard designed for agentic commerce that spans the entire shopping experience—from product discovery and purchasing to post-purchase support. The UCP aims to streamline interactions by establishing a common framework for communication, allowing agents and systems to collaborate seamlessly across various consumer platforms, business operations, and payment providers. Rather than necessitating distinct connections for each individual agent, the UCP facilitates effortless interaction among all agents involved.
This new protocol is versatile and can be utilized across different sectors, while also being compatible with existing industry standards, including Agent2Agent (A2A), AP2, and Model Context Protocol (MCP). The UCP’s development was a collaborative effort involving prominent retailers and platforms like Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart, and it has garnered support from over 20 other organizations in the ecosystem, such as Adyen, American Express, Best Buy, Flipkart, Macy’s Inc., Mastercard, Stripe, The Home Depot, Visa, and Zalando.
As the journey towards agentic commerce continues, the introduction of the UCP is a significant milestone that promises to foster a more integrated and efficient retail experience for consumers and businesses alike. This open standard could not only simplify transactions but also create new opportunities for growth and innovation across the retail sector.