SAN FRANCISCO — OpenAI is scaling back native checkout features within ChatGPT, pivoting towards merchant-built apps and retailer-controlled experiences, even as industry leaders advance open standards for agentic commerce. Just 23% of Gen X US online adults have used ChatGPT (the most popular answer engine in the US) in the past month to search for products, per Forrester’s December 2025 Consumer Pulse Survey.
This strategic shift underscores the growing importance of interoperability and merchant control in the burgeoning agentic commerce landscape. As AI agents increasingly automate purchasing decisions, the industry is coalescing around open protocols to ensure seamless interactions between agents, merchants, and payment providers.
Klarna and Stripe Lead Payment Integrations
Klarna is expanding its presence in agentic commerce by integrating with Stripe Shared Payment Tokens, bringing its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) service to AI agent-driven shopping experiences for U.S. merchants. Stripe is broadening its Shared Payment Token support to include Mastercard Agent Pay, Visa Intelligent Commerce, Affirm, and Klarna, creating a more versatile payment ecosystem for AI agents.
These integrations enable merchants to offer diverse payment options within AI-powered shopping environments, enhancing customer choice and driving conversion rates. The move aligns with the increasing demand for flexible payment solutions in the agentic commerce space.
Mastercard and Santander Pioneer AI Agent Payments
Mastercard and Santander recently completed Europe’s first live AI-agent payment within a regulated banking framework. This milestone demonstrates the feasibility and security of integrating AI agents into established financial systems.
The successful transaction paves the way for broader adoption of AI-driven payments in Europe, highlighting the potential for increased efficiency and automation in financial services.
Spreedly Emphasizes Merchant Control
Spreedly has launched agentic commerce as a dedicated channel on its open payments platform, emphasizing the importance of merchant control in the evolving landscape. This move allows merchants to maintain ownership of the customer relationship and data within AI-powered shopping experiences.
Spreedly’s approach empowers merchants to customize the payment experience and integrate it seamlessly into their existing systems, ensuring a consistent brand experience across all channels.
Background: Open commerce protocols like UCP and ACP aim to standardize interactions between AI agents, merchants, and payment providers. The shift towards open standards and merchant-controlled experiences is crucial for developers and builders, ensuring interoperability and maintaining control over the customer relationship in the evolving agentic commerce landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is OpenAI scaling back native checkout features in ChatGPT?
A: OpenAI is pivoting towards merchant-built apps and retailer-controlled experiences to prioritize interoperability and merchant control in agentic commerce. This strategic shift allows retailers to maintain their own customer relationships and purchasing experiences rather than relying on OpenAI’s native checkout.
Q: What is agentic commerce and why does it matter?
A: Agentic commerce refers to AI agents that automate purchasing decisions and shopping experiences. It matters because the industry is establishing open standards and protocols to ensure seamless interactions between AI agents, merchants, and payment providers, creating a more interoperable ecosystem.
Q: What payment options are now available for AI agent-driven shopping?
A: Through Stripe’s Shared Payment Token integrations, AI agent-driven shopping now supports multiple payment solutions including Klarna’s Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), Mastercard Agent Pay, Visa Intelligent Commerce, and Affirm, giving merchants and customers more flexible payment choices.
Q: How many people are currently using ChatGPT to search for products?
A: According to Forrester’s December 2025 Consumer Pulse Survey, just 23% of Gen X US online adults have used ChatGPT in the past month to search for products.
Q: How do Klarna and Stripe’s partnership support merchants?
A: Klarna’s integration with Stripe Shared Payment Tokens brings its BNPL service to AI agent-driven shopping experiences, while Stripe’s expanded token support creates a versatile payment ecosystem. This enables merchants to offer diverse payment options, enhance customer choice, and drive conversion rates in agent-powered environments.
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