Splitit Backs Google's 'Agentic Commerce' Protocol
Installment payments company Splitit has announced its support for Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). The move aligns Splitit with Google's vision for 'agentic commerce,' where AI agents handle shopping journeys for consumers, with its card-linked payment solution integrated into the open standard.
Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) is an open standard designed to create a common language for AI-driven commerce, allowing AI agents to seamlessly discover, purchase, and manage orders on behalf of consumers. This protocol enables transactions to occur directly within AI interfaces like Google Search and Gemini, aiming to reduce friction and cart abandonment. The initiative is a significant step towards "agentic commerce," where autonomous AI agents handle the entire shopping process. Splitit's backing of UCP integrates its unique "Installments-as-a-Service" platform into this emerging ecosystem. Unlike many Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services, Splitit doesn't issue new loans. Instead, it allows consumers to use their existing credit card balance, breaking the cost into interest-free monthly payments without additional applications or credit checks. This card-linked approach offers a key advantage in the high-speed, low-friction environment of agentic commerce. Because it leverages a consumer's existing credit, the approval process is effectively removed, offering the kind of certainty and speed necessary for an AI agent to complete a transaction autonomously. This aligns with the core goal of UCP: to make the path from product discovery to purchase as seamless as possible. The move positions Splitit within a framework supported by major retail and payment players, including Shopify, Walmart, Visa, and Mastercard. For merchants, Splitit's model is "white-label," meaning the installment option is embedded directly into their checkout flow under their own brand, allowing them to maintain control over the customer experience and data. The broader market for AI-driven shopping is projected to be substantial. Gartner has predicted that AI agents will influence over $1 trillion in e-commerce transactions by 2028, highlighting the need for standardized protocols like UCP. Splitit's strategy is to embed its payment technology as a native feature within this new layer of commerce, transforming installments from a checkout option into a core capability of autonomous shopping. In October 2025, Splitit launched an invite-only "Agentic Commerce Partner Program" to integrate its card-linked installment capabilities directly into autonomous shopping agents. This program is designed to be interoperable with emerging open standards, including Google's protocols, ensuring its payment solutions can function across different AI ecosystems as they evolve.
