The deal, announced on Wednesday, will see PayPal’s payment technology embedded into Google’s ecosystem, from consumer apps to enterprise services.

Both companies say the collaboration is the beginning of a new era in “agentic commerce”, a model where artificial intelligence tools take on more responsibility in helping users discover products, compare options, and even complete purchases with little to no manual input.

“Through this partnership, PayPal will use our industry-leading AI to enhance services and security, and we will more deeply integrate PayPal’s innovative payment capabilities for a better experience across Google products and platforms,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google parent Alphabet.

PayPal’s Enterprise Payments will now be one of Google’s main payment providers. That means it will handle card transactions on Google Cloud, Google Ads, and Google Play. This places PayPal at the centre of some of Google’s most valuable revenue streams.

PayPal is also migrating parts of its infrastructure to Google Cloud, a transition designed to speed up innovation and expand its AI-driven commerce tools globally. It highlights a growing trend of fintechs leaning on hyperscale cloud providers for scale and security.

Security and trust are also at the core of the deal. PayPal will integrate its identity and fraud prevention tools across Google’s platforms, while Google backs the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), a proposed standard to safeguard agent-led transactions. 

This is important as AI-powered systems begin making decisions on behalf of users, raising fresh questions about consent, fraud risks, and transparency.

PayPal CEO Alex Chriss described the tie-up as “a new standard for commerce ecosystem innovation.” This is less about payments as we know them and more about boosting how the future of online transactions will be managed by intelligent systems.

The announcement follows another recent step by PayPal into AI partnerships. Earlier this month, it teamed up with Perplexity to give its users early access to the AI-powered Comet browser through a 12-month Pro subscription trial. 

The browser uses artificial intelligence to deliver direct, summarised answers, placing PayPal at the very beginning of the online shopping journey, not just the end.

The co-branded service enables customers in Zambia to send and receive money globally, based on their convenience and needs.

Zoona is a leading fintech and enterprise payments platform in Zambia. Acquired by Chipper Cash in 2022, the two brands now support 5 million customers across Africa. 

Today’s announcement combines Western Union’s global strength and 175 years of expertise in international money movement with Chipper Cash’s and Zoona’s deep local payments knowledge and innovative mobile technology platform. 

Chipper Cash app users can now support their loved ones by sending and receiving money seamlessly across Western Union’s network of over 200 countries and territories. 

They also have the flexibility to send funds to mobile wallets worldwide, as well as for cash pick-up at hundreds of thousands of locations abroad. Payout to bank accounts shall be launched shortly.

“Zambia’s digitally savvy population of over 20 million is driving a remarkable shift toward mobile-first financial solutions,” said Mohamed Touhami el Ouazzani, Western Union’s Regional vice president of Africa. 

“Integrating our international money transfer services in the Chipper Cash app means customers can transfer funds across our global network – reliably and with ease. I am delighted then that, together, we are expanding the possibilities for Zambians to connect, transact and thrive in the global economy.”

The Chipper Cash app is available for download on both Android and iOS smartphones. To initiate a Western Union transaction, customers can use funds stored in their Chipper Cash wallet. The wallet can be conveniently topped up at multiple cash and digital payment touchpoints, including retailers, mobile network operators, banks and ATMs.

“At Zoona, we’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible evolution of Zambia’s financial landscape—from the early days of cash-based transactions and agent networks to a thriving ecosystem of mobile and digital payments,” said Brett Magrath, CEO at Zoona and CPO at Chipper Cash. 

“This partnership marks the next chapter in that journey. With smartphone adoption on the rise, there’s an increasing appetite for digital financial services that move beyond USSD to deliver richer, app-based experiences. This partnership extends the reach of Zambia’s vibrant fintech ecosystem—connecting more users to global financial services through a seamless digital experience.”

The collaboration builds on Western Union’s well-established physical presence in Zambia that caters to diverse and fast-evolving customer needs. The move also supports Western Union’s, Zoona’s and Chipper Cash’s shared mission to make financial services accessible to all consumers in Zambia – regardless of their banking status.