Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP)
An open-source protocol developed by OpenAI and Stripe that enables AI agents to shop on your behalf. Now live with Instant Checkout in ChatGPT.
What is ACP?
The Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) is an open-source standard co-developed by OpenAI and Stripe. It enables programmatic commerce flows between buyers, AI agents, and businesses. Released under the Apache 2.0 license, this protocol transforms e-commerce from the traditional 'click-to-buy' model to a 'conversation-to-buy' model.
Agentic Commerce by the Numbers
The ACP Ecosystem
The protocol connects four key stakeholders:
Buyer
Discovers products via AI, selects items, provides payment credentials, and authorizes checkout.
AI Agent
Interfaces with the buyer, displays products, collects payment details, and requests checkout from the business.
Business (Merchant)
Receives checkout requests, maintains merchant of record status, has acceptance/decline authority.
Payment Provider
Relays payment credentials via secure tokens to the business. Stripe and PayPal supported.
Live Simulation
Watch how two AI bots collaborate to shop on your behalf.
Enter Your Brand Name
See how your brand appears in the simulation
How ACP Works
1. User States Their Need
The user tells ChatGPT what they need in natural language: 'Find me a vintage lamp under $50 for my desk.'
2. AI Scans Catalogs
The AI agent scans product feeds from ACP-compatible merchants. Data enriched with Schema.org and llms.txt is prioritized.
3. Products Are Ranked
Results are ranked organically (unsponsored). Price, stock, and delivery time are evaluated.
4. Instant Checkout
User selects a product, a secure payment token is created via Stripe or PayPal, and sent to the merchant.
5. Order Completed
The business confirms the order and completes the transaction as merchant of record. Tracking info is delivered via ChatGPT.
Features Supported by ACP
ACP for Merchants
ACP is a merchant-friendly protocol:
You Stay Merchant of Record
Customer relationships, product control, and order processing remain in your hands.
Organic Ranking
Product results are unsponsored and organic. There's no pay-to-play model.
Easy Integration
Merchants using Stripe can activate ACP with as little as one line of code.
Fee Only on Completed Transactions
A small commission is only charged on completed orders.
Technical Specifications
OpenAPI Specifications
API definitions in YAML format for Agentic Checkout and Delegated Payment.
JSON Schema
Data models for payloads, events, and reusable objects.
REST API & MCP Support
Integration via traditional REST or Anthropic's Model Context Protocol.
Secure Token Flow
Payment credentials are never shared directly; Stripe Shared Payment Token is used.
Related Protocols
Standardizes how AI systems access external resources.
Enables Agent-to-Agent communication.
Payment-agnostic agent-merchant payment infrastructure.
Where Does Geo Builder Fit In?
Geo Builder makes your product catalogs ACP-compatible, ensuring visibility on ChatGPT and other AI agents:
Product Feed Optimization
Create product feeds compliant with ACP specifications so AI agents understand your products correctly.
Schema.org & JSON-LD
Enrich your product information with structured data. AI systems prioritize this format.
llms.txt Support
A standard file that tells AI crawlers how to scan your site. The AI version of robots.txt.
Instant Checkout Readiness
Prepare the technical infrastructure required for ACP integration with Geo Builder.
Current Status (December 2025)
- Active for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Free users in the US
- Live integration with Etsy sellers
- 1M+ Shopify merchants (Glossier, SKIMS, Spanx, Vuori) coming soon
- PayPal integration opening to all merchants in 2026
- Single-item checkout active, multi-item cart coming soon
Get Ready for ACP
ChatGPT Shopping is reaching global scale. Brands that prepare early will gain competitive advantage.