Klarna and Google Partner on Universal Commerce Protocol to Advance Agentic AI
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – February 2, 2026 – Klarna announced its joining of Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open-source standard, to enable agentic AI in commerce. The partnership will integrate Klarna’s flexible payments into AI-driven shopping journeys from discovery to settlement. This deepens their multiyear ties spanning Google Pay, Cloud, and the Google Store.
Overview
UCP, launched last month with support from Shopify, Target, Walmart, Visa, and Mastercard, provides a common language for AI agents, merchants, and payments to interact seamlessly. Klarna positions itself as a key infrastructure partner, building on its October adoption of the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2). The collaboration aims to enable autonomous assistants to handle end-to-end commerce, reducing checkout friction across platforms. Specific timelines and transaction volumes remain undisclosed.
Announcement Specifics
UCP, launched last month with support from Shopify, Target, Walmart, Visa, and Mastercard, provides a common language for AI agents, merchants, and payments to interact seamlessly. Klarna positions itself as a key infrastructure partner, building on its October adoption of the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2). The collaboration aims to enable autonomous assistants to handle end-to-end commerce, reducing checkout friction across platforms. Specific timelines and transaction volumes remain undisclosed.
Stakeholder Perspective
“As AI-driven shopping continues to evolve, it’s important that the underlying commerce infrastructure is built on openness, trust and transparency.”
— David Sykes, Chief Commercial Officer at Klarna
Why it matters: This statement underscores Klarna’s strategic focus on interoperable AI ecosystems, ensuring its buy-now-pay-later options thrive in autonomous shopping environments.
Industry Context
Agentic AI represents a paradigm shift from search-based to AI-native shopping, with autonomous assistants analyzing vast data instantly to execute purchases. Competitors like Stripe offer agent tools, while Visa pushes digital credentials for seamless transactions. The convergence of payments infrastructure and AI agents signals transformation in global e-commerce, with major retailers and payment networks aligning on open standards.
No specific MENA hub mentions—Riyadh, Dubai, or Abu Dhabi—appear in announcements. Klarna’s global expansion continues without verified regional transaction volumes or locations tied to this deal. The universal protocol’s open-source nature may enable future regional integration as MENA markets advance AI commerce capabilities.
Conclusion
This collaboration positions Klarna and Google to lead agentic commerce adoption, enabling frictionless AI payments across platforms and potentially transforming e-commerce globally. The partnership’s emphasis on openness and transparency may accelerate industry-wide standards for AI-driven transactions.
Sources: PYMNTS, Business Wire, Forbes
