Embedded card-linked instalments provider Splitit has announced its backing of Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard designed to support agentic commerce, enabling AI agents to complete purchases on behalf of consumers.
The protocol was built in collaboration with Shopify, Target, Walmart, Etsy, and Wayfair, and has received endorsement from a range of major industry players. UCP is designed to cover the full shopping journey, from product discovery through checkout to post-purchase experiences. By formally supporting the standard, Splitit is seeking to position card-linked instalment payments as a core component of AI-powered retail infrastructure.
Card-linked instalments in agentic retail
Splitit's model operates by allowing consumers to split purchases using existing credit cards, without requiring a separate credit application or approval process. The company argues this removes a key friction point in automated purchasing flows, where approval uncertainty could otherwise cause AI agents to abandon transactions on behalf of consumers.
The strategic rationale centres on merchant retention, as flexible payment options, the company contends, allow merchants to convert consumers who might otherwise abandon a purchase due to budget constraints, without transferring customer data or relationship ownership to a third-party lender.
James Wray, Head of Business Development at Splitit, noted that as AI agents take on a greater role in product discovery, payment solutions will need to offer certainty and minimal friction. Expanding on this, Ashish Gupta, VP/GM of Merchant Shopping at Google, stated that Splitit's endorsement reflects broader industry commitment to embedding consumer choice and merchant success into the foundations of agentic commerce.
UCP represents an early-stage but significant effort to standardise how AI agents interact with merchant systems across the retail ecosystem. As agentic commerce moves from pilot to mainstream adoption, payment infrastructure capable of operating within automated, API-driven environments will become increasingly relevant to both merchants and payment providers.
