---
title: "Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), defined | Agent Ready Checkout"
description: "Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP): An Apache 2.0 protocol for discovery, carts, checkout, identity linking and orders between platforms and businesses."
canonical: https://agentreadycheckout.com/glossary/universal-commerce-protocol-ucp
site: "Agent Ready Checkout"
last_updated: 2026-11-04
section: "Glossary"
---

# Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), defined | Agent Ready Checkout

> Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP): An Apache 2.0 protocol for discovery, carts, checkout, identity linking and orders between platforms and businesses.

Source: https://agentreadycheckout.com/glossary/universal-commerce-protocol-ucp
Site: Agent Ready Checkout
Last reviewed: 2026-11-04

Glossary

# Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)

In short

Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP): An Apache 2.0 protocol for discovery, carts, checkout, identity linking and orders between platforms and businesses, governed by a Tech Council led by Google and Shopify. Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) appears in 68 sourced facts on this site, the first in Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP).

## Definition

An Apache 2.0 protocol for discovery, carts, checkout, identity linking and orders between platforms and businesses, governed by a Tech Council led by Google and Shopify.

## Example

Google runs UCP checkout in AI Mode and Gemini for select merchants. [support.google.com](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/16837055), read 4 Nov 2026.

## Where it appears in the sourced facts

-   Shopify announced UCP on 11 Jan 2026 as an open standard co-developed with Google, endorsed by more than 20 retailers and platforms and compatible with any payment processor. [shopify.com](https://www.shopify.com/news/ai-commerce-at-scale), read 4 Nov 2026. In [Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)](https://agentreadycheckout.com/protocols/ucp).
-   Businesses publish their UCP profile at /.well-known/ucp; platforms send their own profile URI per request in the UCP-Agent header. [ucp.dev](https://ucp.dev/latest/specification/overview/), read 4 Nov 2026. In [Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)](https://agentreadycheckout.com/protocols/ucp).
-   Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Salesforce and Stripe joined the UCP Tech Council on 24 Apr 2026, alongside current members Google, Shopify, Etsy, Target and Wayfair. [github.com](https://github.com/Universal-Commerce-Protocol/ucp/discussions/379), read 4 Nov 2026. In [Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)](https://agentreadycheckout.com/protocols/ucp).
-   Google's Merchant Center help says UCP checkout puts a Buy button on eligible listings in AI Mode and Gemini "while keeping you the merchant of record", for select merchants, using standard card numbers (FPANs) from Google Wallet today. [support.google.com](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/16837055), read 4 Nov 2026. In [Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)](https://agentreadycheckout.com/protocols/ucp).
-   Shopify made its UCP agent access self-serve in the Spring 26 Edition developer post on 17 Jun 2026: developers register an agent profile and call the public MCP endpoint without approval. [shopify.com](https://shopify.com/news/spring-26-edition-dev), read 4 Nov 2026. In [Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)](https://agentreadycheckout.com/protocols/ucp).

## Nearby terms

-   [Agent Payments Protocol (AP2)](https://agentreadycheckout.com/glossary/agent-payments-protocol-ap2)
-   [Mandate](https://agentreadycheckout.com/glossary/mandate)
-   [Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP)](https://agentreadycheckout.com/glossary/agentic-commerce-protocol-acp)
-   [All terms](https://agentreadycheckout.com/glossary)

## Sources

1.  [Merchant Center help: UCP-powered checkout](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/16837055), read 4 Nov 2026
2.  [shopify.com/news/ai-commerce-at-scale](https://www.shopify.com/news/ai-commerce-at-scale), read 4 Nov 2026
3.  [UCP specification overview](https://ucp.dev/latest/specification/overview/), read 4 Nov 2026
4.  [github.com/Universal-Commerce-Protocol/ucp/discussions/379](https://github.com/Universal-Commerce-Protocol/ucp/discussions/379), read 4 Nov 2026
5.  [shopify.com/news/spring-26-edition-dev](https://shopify.com/news/spring-26-edition-dev), read 4 Nov 2026

Last reviewed 4 Nov 2026

## Edition

Matrix edition of 4 Nov 2026.

Reviewed 4 Nov 2026, [5 sources](#sources-h).

## Method

[How cells, sources and read dates are defined](https://agentreadycheckout.com/method)