Frequently Asked Questions

Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) – Product Information

What is the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP)?

The Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) is an open standard co-developed by OpenAI and Stripe. It defines how AI agents complete purchases with merchants on a buyer's behalf, enabling agentic commerce where transactions are facilitated by AI rather than direct user interaction. ACP was first released in September 2025 under the Apache 2.0 license. Note: ACP is one of two main protocols in agentic commerce; brands focused solely on Google's ecosystem may need to consider the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) as well. Source

Who developed the Agentic Commerce Protocol?

ACP was co-developed by OpenAI and Stripe and released as an open standard in September 2025. Source

What does ACP enable for merchants and buyers?

ACP enables merchants to integrate once and sell across any ACP-compatible AI agent, powering features like Instant Checkout in ChatGPT. For buyers, it allows AI agents to complete product discovery, comparison, checkout, and payment on their behalf. The merchant remains the merchant of record, retaining control of fulfillment, returns, support, and the customer relationship. Note: ACP bundles checkout and payment, which may not fit workflows that require separation of these steps. Source

How does ACP differ from the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)?

ACP (from OpenAI and Stripe) bundles checkout and payment into a single process, while UCP (from Google and Shopify) separates these steps. Most brands selling at scale will need to support both protocols to be fully accessible to all AI agents. Choose ACP if you want bundled checkout/payment; choose UCP if you require separation. Note: Supporting only one protocol may limit your reach to certain AI-driven platforms. Source

What is a Shared Payment Token in ACP?

A Shared Payment Token is a mechanism within ACP that bundles checkout and payment, allowing AI agents to complete transactions on behalf of buyers without exposing sensitive payment details. This enables Instant Checkout experiences in platforms like ChatGPT. Note: Brands with custom payment flows may need to evaluate compatibility. Source

What is agentic commerce and how does ACP support it?

Agentic commerce refers to transactions conducted by AI agents acting on a buyer's behalf, including product discovery, comparison, checkout, and payment. ACP supports agentic commerce by providing a standardized protocol for AI agents to interact with merchants, complete purchases, and manage post-purchase processes. Note: Brands not discoverable or transactable by AI agents may be absent from this market. Source

What are the main protocols for agentic commerce as of 2026?

As of 2026, agentic commerce operates on two main open standards: the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) from OpenAI and Stripe, and the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) from Google and Shopify. Most brands selling at scale will need to support both to maximize reach. Note: Focusing on only one protocol may limit compatibility with certain AI agents. Source

How does ACP impact the merchant's role in transactions?

With ACP, the merchant remains the merchant of record, maintaining control over fulfillment, returns, support, and the customer relationship, even though the transaction is initiated by an AI agent. Note: Merchants must ensure their systems can handle AI-initiated transactions and related support workflows. Source

Features & Capabilities

What features does ACP provide for AI-driven commerce?

ACP provides features such as Instant Checkout in ChatGPT, single integration for merchants to access multiple AI agents, bundled checkout and payment via Shared Payment Token, and support for agentic checkout. Note: ACP may not support workflows that require separate checkout and payment steps. Source

What is agentic checkout and how is it defined in ACP?

Agentic checkout is a process where an AI agent completes the checkout and payment steps on behalf of the buyer. ACP defines agentic checkout as a core capability, enabling AI-driven transactions across compatible platforms. Note: The Universal Commerce Protocol also specifies agentic checkout as a core capability; brands may need to support both standards. Source

Use Cases & Implementation

Who should consider implementing ACP?

Brands and merchants aiming to be discoverable, trusted, and transactable by AI agents—especially those targeting platforms like ChatGPT—should consider implementing ACP. U.S. agentic commerce is projected to move hundreds of billions of dollars in transaction volume. Note: Brands focused exclusively on Google/Shopify ecosystems may need to prioritize UCP integration. Source

What are the integration requirements for ACP?

Merchants need to integrate with ACP once to access all ACP-compatible AI agents. This integration enables Instant Checkout and bundled payment experiences. Note: Brands with highly customized checkout or payment flows should review ACP's compatibility with their systems. Source

Competition & Comparison

Why might a brand need to support both ACP and UCP?

ACP (OpenAI/Stripe) and UCP (Google/Shopify) are the two main protocols for agentic commerce as of 2026. Supporting both ensures brands are accessible to the widest range of AI agents and platforms. ACP bundles checkout/payment, while UCP separates them; the choice depends on your technical requirements and target platforms. Note: Supporting only one protocol may limit your reach in the AI-driven commerce market. Source

Glossary / Agentic Commerce

Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP)

The Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) is an open standard, co-developed by OpenAI and Stripe, that defines how AI agents complete purchases with merchants on a buyer's behalf.

ACP was first released in September 2025 under the Apache 2.0 license. It powers Instant Checkout in ChatGPT, bundles checkout and payment through a Shared Payment Token, and lets a merchant integrate once to sell across any ACP-compatible agent. The merchant remains the merchant of record, keeping control of fulfillment, returns, support, and the customer relationship.

ACP is one of the two protocols defining the agentic-commerce category in 2026, alongside Google's Universal Commerce Protocol. ACP bundles checkout and payment; UCP separates them. Most brands selling at scale will need to support both.

FAQ

Who built the Agentic Commerce Protocol?

It was co-developed by OpenAI and Stripe and released as an open standard.

What does ACP power?

ACP powers Instant Checkout in ChatGPT and enables merchants to sell across ACP-compatible AI agents with a single integration.

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