[
    {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "tell%20me%20about%20stripe%20spt"
    },
    {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "Here\u2019s what I found on *Stripe SPT* (Shared Payment Token), a relatively new feature from Stripe tied to **agentic commerce** (think AI agents making purchases or assisting with them).\n\n---\n\n## What is Stripe SPT?\n\n- **SPT** stands for *Shared Payment Token*. It\u2019s a cryptographic, single-use token created by Stripe that represents a user\u2019s payment method without exposing sensitive primary account information like card numbers (PAN).([docs.stripe.com](https://docs.stripe.com/agentic-commerce/concepts?locale=en-GB&utm_source=openai))  \n- It\u2019s part of Stripe\u2019s broader *Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP)*, which enables AI agents (like those in conversational UIs) to facilitate purchases on behalf of users without merchants receiving or storing full payment credentials.([stellagent.ai](https://stellagent.ai/insights/stripe-shared-payment-token-spt?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n## How does it work?\n\nHere\u2019s the typical flow:\n\n1. A user provides payment information via an AI agent (e.g., when asked to \u201cbuy something\u201d in ChatGPT).([docs.stripe.com](https://docs.stripe.com/agentic-commerce/concepts?locale=en-GB&utm_source=openai))  \n2. The AI agent communicates with Stripe\u2019s systems and requests an SPT. The request includes details like which seller will receive the fund, which payment method, and the transaction amount.([docs.stripe.com](https://docs.stripe.com/agentic-commerce/concepts?locale=en-GB&utm_source=openai))  \n3. Stripe issues the SPT. That token is scoped: it\u2019s valid only for that specific transaction with that particular seller, and limited by time or usage. It doesn\u2019t contain raw credentials.([docs.stripe.com](https://docs.stripe.com/agentic-commerce/concepts?locale=en-GB&utm_source=openai))  \n4. The seller uses the SPT in their call to Stripe (often as part of a `PaymentIntent`) to process the payment.([docs.stripe.com](https://docs.stripe.com/agentic-commerce/concepts?locale=en-GB&utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n## What makes SPT different / why it matters\n\n- **Security & privacy**: Because the merchant *never sees actual card details*, the risk of misuse or leaks goes down. Also helps with PCI compliance burdens.([docs.stripe.com](https://docs.stripe.com/agentic-commerce/concepts?locale=en-GB&utm_source=openai))  \n- **Scoped permissions**: SPTs are bound to specific sellers, transaction amounts, and expiry windows. So they can be revoked or expire, limiting risk.([docs.stripe.com](https://docs.stripe.com/agentic-commerce/concepts?locale=en-GB&utm_source=openai))  \n- **Support for multiple payment types**: It\u2019s not just card-on-file \u2014 SPT is expanding to include *BNPL* (Buy Now Pay Later, like via Affirm or Klarna) and network tokens (e.g., Visa, Mastercard agent / network tokens).([stellagent.ai](https://stellagent.ai/insights/stripe-shared-payment-token-spt?utm_source=openai))  \n- **Designed for \u201cagentic\u201d commerce**: A model where AI agents enable or mediate purchases\u2014user says something in conversational UI, and agent negotiates/purchases for them. In this model, traditional e-commerce flows (merchant has the card, user enters it on merchant\u2019s site) don\u2019t always make sense. SPTs are built for this shift.([stellagent.ai](https://stellagent.ai/insights/stripe-shared-payment-token-spt?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n## Timeline & Status\n\n- Stripe introduced SPTs in **late 2025**, as part of Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP).([stellagent.ai](https://stellagent.ai/insights/stripe-shared-payment-token-spt?utm_source=openai))  \n- In **March 2026**, Stripe expanded SPT\u2019s capabilities: it added BNPL support (Affirm, Klarna) and made it the interface unifying cards, BNPL, and network tokens under one primitive.([stellagent.ai](https://stellagent.ai/insights/stripe-shared-payment-token-spt?utm_source=openai))  \n- It\u2019s currently active, especially in the U.S., in contexts like ChatGPT\u2019s \u201cInstant Checkout\u201d feature.([stellagent.ai](https://stellagent.ai/insights/stripe-shared-payment-token-spt?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n## Benefits and Concerns\n\n### Benefits:\n\n- Easier **integration** for merchants: supporting one token \u2014 SPT \u2014 rather than different flows for cards, BNPL, network tokens.([stellagent.ai](https://stellagent.ai/insights/stripe-shared-payment-token-spt?utm_source=openai))  \n- Better **fraud prevention**: SPTs integrate fully with Stripe\u2019s fraud detection tool, *Radar*, leveraging signals from agentic transactions and reducing certain risk vectors.([stellagent.ai](https://stellagent.ai/insights/stripe-shared-payment-token-spt?utm_source=openai))  \n- More **control** for users & platforms: tokens are revocable; users don\u2019t need to share or have merchants store card data.([docs.stripe.com](https://docs.stripe.com/agentic-commerce/concepts?locale=en-GB&utm_source=openai))\n\n### Concerns / Questions:\n\n- As with any new payment model, **merchant adoption** is still growing\u2014there might be edge cases or sellers/platforms not yet supporting it.  \n- **Regulatory and compliance** frameworks (e.g., PCI, data privacy) still apply; how SPTs interoperate with those might evolve as agentic commerce becomes more common.  \n- **Trust**: users and sellers need to trust agents/platforms not to misuse their permission. Scoped tokens and revocation help, but policies and transparency will matter.\n\n---\n\n## What you might need to do\n\nIf you\u2019re considering using or integrating Stripe SPT \u2014 as a business, platform, or developer \u2014 here are some things to look into:\n\n- Understand the **Stripe documentation** for agentic commerce and SPTs: how to issue tokens, what limits are required, how charges are made.([docs.stripe.com](https://docs.stripe.com/agentic-commerce/concepts?locale=en-GB&utm_source=openai))  \n- Make sure your payment flows (backend systems, fraud detection, seller onboarding) can support token-based payments rather than always relying on full card details.  \n- If using BNPL or network tokens, ensure those integrations are supported in your region under SPT.  \n- Keep an eye on **privacy & security policy**; ensure you're transparent with users what permissions agents have, how and when tokens expire/revoke, and what data is shared with merchants.\n\n---\n\nIf you want, I can send you Stripe\u2019s official documentation or code snippets around SPTs\u2014do you want that?"
    },
    {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "how%20have%20other%20payment%20processors%2C%20like%20square%20and%20others%2C%20responded%3F"
    },
    {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "I looked around: I couldn\u2019t find any strong evidence that Square (or Block, Inc., its parent) has publicly responded in a major way to Stripe\u2019s Shared Payment Tokens (SPTs) or the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP). However, there are numerous indications in the wider payments ecosystem of parallel efforts, partially overlapping protocols, and competition. Below is a breakdown of what *we know*, what *we don\u2019t*, and what Square might be doing (or might do) based on its actions and strategy.\n\n---\n\n## What *other* players are doing\n\nBefore getting specifically to Square, it\u2019s useful to see what similar processors and platforms are doing in response to SPT / ACP:\n\n- Google has launched its **Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)**, which includes its own Agent Payments Protocol (AP2). UCP aims to cover a wider commerce journey\u2014not just checkout\u2014with capabilities from discovery through fulfillment.([eco.com](https://eco.com/support/en/articles/14839407-agent-payment-protocols-compared?utm_source=openai))  \n- OKX (a major crypto exchange) introduced its **Agent Payments Protocol (APP)** intended for full business-cycle support (offers, disputes, payments) notably among agents operating across rails, including blockchain-based ones.([theblock.co](https://www.theblock.co/amp/post/399490/okx-agent-payments-protocol-ai-business-cycles-quotes-disputes-transactions?utm_source=openai))  \n- There are also open standards like **x402**, which aim to build agentic payment channels across protocols.([digitalapplied.com](https://www.digitalapplied.com/blog/agentic-commerce-q2-2026-platform-comparison?utm_source=openai))  \n\nThese moves suggest the industry sees value in agent-enabled tokenization and delegated approvals for payments, and they're building interoperable systems rather than central stovepiped solutions.\n\n---\n\n## What Square appears to be doing\n\nWhile I found **no direct announcement** from Square saying \u201chere\u2019s how we\u2019ll support SPT or ACP,\u201d there are *clues* in what Square/Block is already building:\n\n- Square has introduced **Square AI**, embedded in its Dashboard, which provides sellers with insights, analytics, and business operations advice. This is more on the business-management side rather than doing payments on behalf of customers, but it shows Square\u2019s interest in agentic/AI-driven tools.([squareup.com](https://squareup.com/us/en/press/square-ai-beta-insights?utm_source=openai))  \n- Square has also enabled **Bitcoin payments** for merchants and launched AI-powered voice ordering tools. This signals they're open to alternative rails and novel transaction modalities.([blockworks.co](https://blockworks.co/news/square-integrated-bitcoin-payments?utm_source=openai))  \n- Square\u2019s APIs and SDKs are quite robust, and the company often positions itself as enabling custom commerce flows.([developer.squareup.com](https://developer.squareup.com/us/en?utm_source=openai))  \n\n---\n\n## What Square *hasn\u2019t* clearly done yet\n\nDespite those indicators, there is no public sign Square has:\n\n- Adopted SPTs or explicitly supported Stripe\u2019s Shared Payment Token standard.  \n- Released its own version of shared tokens scoped to agents and merchants in the same way ACP does.  \n- Announced membership in or support for ACP or UCP (beyond just supporting sellers\u2019 individual needs).  \n\n---\n\n## What Square *might* do, or could do to respond\n\nGiven Square\u2019s existing product roadmap and its focus on small business tools, AI-enabled interfaces, and crypto payments, here are likely paths Square could or will take:\n\n1. **Own implementation of an agentic payments protocol**  \n   They might build something similar to ACP or AP2 internally\u2014e.g. tokens that allow agents (Square or third-party) to initiate payments with user approval and scoped limits.\n\n2. **Support for open standards**  \n   Square may endorse or adopt ACP, UCP, x402, or similar protocols, either wholly or in part, to ensure interoperability when merchants want to sell through AI agents. This is especially likely if Square sees AI assistants as future distribution channels for its merchants.\n\n3. **Partnerships or integrations**  \n   Square could partner with AI platforms or other infrastructure providers so that Square-based merchants can participate in agentic commerce (e.g., have products surfaced and purchases initiated by AI assistants) even if Square isn\u2019t managing the tokenization itself.  \n\n4. **Incremental product enhancements**  \n   Square might start small: improve its checkout API to accept delegated or limited-tokens; build UX flows for customers to grant agents permission; provide risk/fraud controls specific to agent-initiated transactions.\n\n---\n\n## Why Square may be taking its time\n\nThere are several reasons Square hasn't yet made a big splash in this area:\n\n- **Risk and fraud concerns**: Agent-initiated transactions pose complex risk issues (e.g. agents misbehaving, masquerading, or exceeding user permissions). Building controls for that is hard.\n\n- **Regulatory & liability questions**: When agents are initiating purchases, who's liable if something goes wrong \u2014 the buyer, the agent, or the merchant? Are existing contract, payment, and consumer protection laws sufficient?\n\n- **Merchant demand**: Many of Square\u2019s merchants are small businesses; they might have less urgency or need (or less technical ability) to integrate with AI agents. So Square may prioritize simpler enhancements first.\n\n- **Standards aren\u2019t settled**: With multiple competing protocols (ACP, UCP, etc.), Square might be waiting to see which ones gain traction before committing.  \n\n---\n\n## Conclusion\n\n- As of May 2026, **Square has not clearly adopted something like Stripe\u2019s Shared Payment Tokens or built a public equivalent**.  \n- But Square is moving toward agentic tools (AI assistants, voice ordering, Bitcoin payments), which suggests they are positioned to respond if agentic commerce grows large.  \n- Meanwhile, other players like Google, OKX, Stripe itself, and open protocol groups are more advanced publicly with specific token-based standards (like ACP, AP2, UCP) for agent-initiated payments.\n\nIf you want, I can try digging up internal documents or investment filings to see if Square has quietly built an agentic payments standard \u2014 might turn up something non-public. Do you want me to go after that?"
    },
    {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "which%20of%20these%20standard%20involved%20seems%20to%20be%20gaining%20the%20most%20widespread%20adoption%3F"
    },
    {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "Here\u2019s a breakdown of which agentic-commerce / agent payment standards seem to be getting the most traction, and how they compare right now \u2014 as of May 2026.\n\n---\n\n## Which protocols are in the running\n\nSeveral overlapping standards have emerged recently for enabling \u201cagentic commerce\u201d \u2014 i.e., AI agents helping or completing purchases for users. The major ones include:\n\n- ACP (Agentic Commerce Protocol) \u2014 a joint standard from Stripe + OpenAI. Supports things like Shared Payment Tokens (SPTs), agent-initiated checkout flows, product catalog feeds, etc. ([eco.com](https://eco.com/support/en/articles/14845478-acp-agentic-commerce-protocol-explained?utm_source=openai))  \n- AP2 (Agent Payments Protocol) \u2014 Google\u2019s open authorization framework, designed with widespread partners for agent-to-agent payments, mandates, etc. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/16/google-launches-new-protocol-for-agent-driven-purchases/?utm_source=openai))  \n- UCP (Universal Commerce Protocol) \u2014 Google\u2019s newer effort aiming to standardize the entire commerce journey (discovery, checkout, fulfillment) across platforms and merchants. ([androidcentral.com](https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/google-releases-universal-commerce-protocol-for-agentic-ai-shopping?utm_source=openai))  \n\nOther specialized protocols include x402 (stablecoin-based settlement for machine-to-machine / API payments) and Stripe\u2019s Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) for streaming payments. But ACP, AP2, and UCP are the big names currently. ([eco.com](https://eco.com/support/en/articles/14845478-acp-agentic-commerce-protocol-explained?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n## Metrics of adoption so far\n\nHere are how various indicators stack up, showing which protocols seem to be leading:\n\n| Metric | ACP (Stripe / OpenAI) | AP2 (Google) | UCP (Google + retailers) |\n|---|---|---|---|\n| **Partner adoption among payment providers & PSPs** | Stripe and PayPal are live PSPs doing ACP flows. Many commerce platforms (Squarespace, WooCommerce, Etsy, BigCommerce) already integrated with ACP via the Stripe Agentic Commerce Suite. ([eco.com](https://eco.com/support/en/articles/14845478-acp-agentic-commerce-protocol-explained?utm_source=openai)) | AP2 has more than 60 partner organizations including Mastercard, Adyen, Worldpay, etc. Many involved in payments, banks, platforms. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/16/google-launches-new-protocol-for-agent-driven-purchases/?utm_source=openai)) | UCP\u2019s launch partners include major retailers and platforms like Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Walmart, Target, American Express, Visa, Stripe. ([androidcentral.com](https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/google-releases-universal-commerce-protocol-for-agentic-ai-shopping?utm_source=openai)) |\n| **Merchant / store presence** | ACP merchants include Etsy, brands like Kate Spade, URBN portfolio (Urban Outfitters, Free People), Revolve, Ashley Furniture, etc., especially on platforms like Stripe-native commerce and custom storefronts. ([eco.com](https://eco.com/support/en/articles/14845478-acp-agentic-commerce-protocol-explained?utm_source=openai)) | AP2 has sign-ups and compatibility plans (e.g. Revolut Pay in UK/EEA) but fewer examples of broad merchant storefront usage yet (as a full checkout endpoint standard). ([stellagent.ai](https://stellagent.ai/insights/ap2-agent-payments-protocol?utm_source=openai)) | UCP has public launch in specific Google surfaces (e.g. AI Mode in Search, Gemini) in the U.S. with some retailers. But mostly early, with consumer exposure still limited. ([androidcentral.com](https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/google-releases-universal-commerce-protocol-for-agentic-ai-shopping?utm_source=openai)) |\n| **Consumer / transaction volume / visibility** | ACP is powering \"Instant Checkout\" in ChatGPT (until its flow was changed), enabling agents to complete purchases on behalf of users; many merchants now expose ACP checkpoints. ([eco.com](https://eco.com/support/en/articles/14839407-agent-payment-protocols-compared?utm_source=openai)) | AP2 is newer as a framework. Mandates and tokens published; parts implemented but overall transaction volume less public. ([stellagent.ai](https://stellagent.ai/insights/ap2-agent-payments-protocol?utm_source=openai)) | UCP is visible in Google\u2019s agentic surfaces (Search AI Mode, Gemini) but many consumers have yet to adopt fully. Also availability is, initially, U.S. only. ([androidcentral.com](https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/google-releases-universal-commerce-protocol-for-agentic-ai-shopping?utm_source=openai)) |\n\n---\n\n## Who seems to be \u201cwinning\u201d so far\n\nFrom the evidence:\n\n- **ACP** currently has the strongest practical adoption among merchants and PSPs, especially for agentic checkouts tied to ChatGPT. Many established merchants have implemented ACP endpoints, and Stripe\u2019s ecosystem is pushing it hard. ([eco.com](https://eco.com/support/en/articles/14845478-acp-agentic-commerce-protocol-explained?utm_source=openai))  \n- **AP2** has strong \u201cecosystem backing\u201d\u2014lots of major payment players and financial institutions signed on early, which positions it well for future adoption, especially for authorization and liability frameworks. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/16/google-launches-new-protocol-for-agent-driven-purchases/?utm_source=openai))  \n- **UCP** is newer, very visible (because of Google\u2019s involvement and big retailers), and aimed to cover broader commerce flows. But it hasn\u2019t yet translated into the same level of merchant implementation or transaction volume as ACP. ([androidcentral.com](https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/google-releases-universal-commerce-protocol-for-agentic-ai-shopping?utm_source=openai))  \n\nSo in terms of real usage *today*, **ACP** seems ahead. AP2 is strong in standards and organizational buy-in. UCP is promising for a long-term cross-platform standard, but still early.\n\n---\n\n## Key tradeoffs and what could shift the balance\n\nWhat could change which protocol ends up dominant?\n\n- **Interoperability**: If AP2, ACP, and UCP increasingly cooperate, share components, or are layered, we might see hybrid adoption. For example, ACP handles checkout flows; AP2 handles mandates/auth, UCP handles discovery + carts across platforms. ([eco.com](https://eco.com/support/en/articles/14845478-acp-agentic-commerce-protocol-explained?utm_source=openai))  \n- **Merchant tools & ease of integration**: When standards make it simpler for small and medium merchants to adopt without heavy engineering, people move faster. ACP\u2019s integration into common platforms (WooCommerce, Squarespace, etc.) is helping. ([eco.com](https://eco.com/support/en/articles/14845478-acp-agentic-commerce-protocol-explained?utm_source=openai))  \n- **Consumer trust, regulatory clarity**: Standards that provide clear guarantees\u2014liability, fraud protection, visibility into agent actions\u2014will win out. AP2\u2019s emphasis on verifiable mandates and payments seems aimed at that. ([ap2-protocol.net](https://ap2-protocol.net/en/specification?utm_source=openai))  \n\n---\n\nIf you'd like, I can pull together a comparison of feature sets (scope, risk protection, rails supported) between ACP, AP2, and UCP, to help see where each shines and might lag."
    }
]