On 28 January 2026, Klarna, the Swedish fintech company known for its buy‑now‑pay‑later services, announced that it would support Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). The move also includes backing Google’s Agent Payments Protocol (AP2). UCP is an open standard that aims to unify how conversational AI agents discover products and complete transactions, while AP2 focuses on the payment processing layer within those interactions.
Technical Details
Current AI‑driven shopping systems often operate as isolated ecosystems. An AI agent on one platform typically requires a custom integration to access a merchant’s inventory, and a separate integration to process payments. This fragmented approach increases development costs and limits the reach of automated shopping tools.
UCP proposes a single interface that covers the entire shopping lifecycle—from product discovery and purchase to post‑purchase support. By adopting this standard, merchants and payment providers can interact through a unified protocol rather than building unique connectors for each AI platform.
David Sykes, Klarna’s Chief Commercial Officer, stated that the infrastructure for AI‑driven shopping must be open, trustworthy, and transparent. He added that supporting UCP is part of Klarna’s broader collaboration with Google to define responsible, interoperable standards for the future of commerce.
Integrating with UCP allows Klarna to expose its flexible payment options and real‑time decisioning capabilities within AI agent environments. This eliminates the need for hardcoded, platform‑specific payment logic. The combination of UCP and AP2 is intended to streamline the settlement process, enabling trusted payment options across AI‑powered checkout experiences.
Ashish Gupta, Vice President and General Manager of Merchant Shopping at Google, emphasized that open standards like UCP are essential for scaling AI‑powered commerce. He noted that Klarna’s support demonstrates the cross‑industry collaboration required to build interoperable shopping experiences that expand choice while maintaining security.
Reactions
Industry observers see Klarna’s endorsement of UCP as a signal that major payment providers are beginning to recognize the need for standardized interfaces in AI commerce. The partnership places Klarna among the first payment firms to back a framework designed for automated shopping, potentially encouraging other fintech and retail companies to follow suit.
Implications
For retailers and fintech leaders, the adoption of UCP suggests a shift in commerce architecture. Future payments may increasingly originate from AI agents rather than traditional branded storefronts. Implementing UCP does not require a complete re‑platforming, but it does demand rigorous data hygiene. Accurate product feeds and inventory levels become operational priorities because AI agents rely on structured data to manage transactions.
The model also maintains a focus on trust. Klarna’s technology offers upfront terms designed to build confidence at checkout. As agent‑led commerce evolves, clear decisioning logic and transparency remain critical for risk management.
By converging Klarna’s payment rails with Google’s open protocols, the partnership provides a practical template for reducing friction in AI‑driven commerce. The value lies in a standardized integration layer that cuts technical debt associated with maintaining multiple sales channels. Success will likely depend on the ability to expose business logic and inventory data through these open standards.
Conclusion
Klarna’s support for Google’s UCP and AP2 marks a significant step toward interoperable AI commerce. The company’s integration is expected to accelerate the adoption of standardized protocols across the industry. While the full impact of this collaboration will unfold over the coming months, Klarna and Google have laid the groundwork for a more seamless, secure, and scalable payment experience driven by conversational AI agents.
