PayPal has collaborated with OpenAI to enable ChatGPT users make instant purchases directly within the app.
This is one of the biggest steps yet in integrating digital payments with conversational technology.
Under this new arrangement, PayPal will adopt OpenAI’s Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) to power Instant Checkout, a feature that allows users to confirm orders and complete transactions inside ChatGPT without switching platforms.
Beginning in 2026, PayPal’s extensive merchant network will be connected to OpenAI’s ecosystem, opening ChatGPT’s marketplace to tens of millions of businesses globally.
“Hundreds of millions of people turn to ChatGPT each week for help with everyday tasks, including finding products they love, and over 400 million use PayPal to shop,” said Alex Chriss, president and CEO of PayPal.
“By partnering with OpenAI and adopting the Agentic Commerce Protocol, PayPal will power payments and commerce experiences that help people go from chat to checkout in just a few taps for our joint customer bases.”
The integration will allow customers to pay using their PayPal wallets, providing access to multiple funding sources, including cards, bank accounts, and balances, while ensuring the company’s signature buyer and seller protections.
PayPal will also handle payment processing for card transactions through its delegated payments API, streamlining every stage of the transaction process.
For merchants, the new system offers a direct route into ChatGPT’s massive user base. Small businesses and large retailers alike will see their product catalogues, spanning categories such as apparel, beauty, home improvement, and electronics, become searchable and purchasable within ChatGPT.
PayPal’s ACP server will handle everything behind the scenes, from merchant routing to payment validation, removing the need for individual integrations.
Beyond commerce, PayPal is expanding its internal use of OpenAI’s technologies. The company plans to deploy ChatGPT Enterprise for its 24,000 employees, use Codex to support engineering tasks, and integrate OpenAI’s APIs across its operations.
These tools are expected to enhance product innovation and improve customer service efficiency.
The partnership arrives at a time when AI-driven shopping assistants are changing online retail. Such systems can analyse user preferences, compare prices, and execute purchases autonomously, revealing the focus on agentic commerce, where digital assistants play an important role in buying decisions.
PayPal’s move is a turnaround strategy under Chriss, who has steered the company towards profitability and innovation after years of post-pandemic slowdown.
With this integration, PayPal aims to strengthen its presence “anywhere and everywhere that consumers want to pay,” as Chriss told analysts.
