Core Insights - Commerce endorses Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), aiming to enhance the shopping experience across AI ecosystems [1][5] - UCP establishes a common language for agents and systems, facilitating seamless interactions throughout the shopping journey [2][4] Group 1: UCP Overview - UCP is an open-source standard designed to streamline communication between various agents and systems, improving the shopping experience from discovery to post-purchase [2] - The protocol will enable new checkout features in AI Mode on Google Search and the Gemini app, allowing direct purchases from eligible retailers [3][8] Group 2: Industry Implications - The shift towards agent-driven commerce necessitates a unified set of standards to enhance scalability and efficiency in the industry [4] - Merchants must adapt to new consumer behaviors characterized by higher intent queries and the need for strategic visibility in answer engines [4] Group 3: Commerce's Role - Commerce leverages its Feedonomics-powered data enrichment layer to optimize product feeds, ensuring alignment with Google's schema and enhancing product visibility [5] - The endorsement of UCP builds on the existing partnership between Google and Commerce, positioning Commerce as a key player in the evolving landscape of AI-driven commerce [5]

Core Insights - Commerce endorses Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), aiming to create a common language for agents and systems throughout the shopping journey, enhancing interaction and reducing friction for merchants [1][2] Group 1: Industry Impact - The UCP will facilitate a new checkout feature in AI Mode on Google, allowing shoppers to purchase directly from eligible retailers while researching [3] - The shift in discovery from traditional search to conversational engines necessitates merchants to adapt their strategies to engage consumers effectively [4] Group 2: Collaboration and Technology - Commerce's partnership with Google leverages its Feedonomics-powered data enrichment layer to optimize product feeds, enhancing visibility and conversion rates within the Google ecosystem [5] - The UCP allows merchants to enable direct buying within Google's AI experiences, maintaining ownership of customer relationships and transaction data [7] Group 3: Future Outlook - The endorsement of UCP is seen as a foundational step for scaling agentic commerce, emphasizing the need for industry-wide standardization [4] - Commerce aims to empower businesses with an open, AI-driven ecosystem, enabling them to innovate and thrive in a rapidly changing market [6]

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is one of the best major stocks to invest in right now. Wolfe Research lowered the price target on Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) to $275 from $305 on January 5 and maintained an Outperform rating on the shares. Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) Is "An Overall Piece," Says Jim Cramer Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) also received a rating update from Evercore ISI on January 4, with the firm assigning the stock a Buy rating with a price target of $335. The rating update was based on a “ ...

Core Insights - Shopify is experiencing accelerated growth, particularly in the context of agentic commerce, which utilizes AI agents to enhance the e-commerce experience for merchants and customers [1][2] - The company's revenue growth has shown a positive trend, with year-over-year increases of 27% in Q1, 31% in Q2, and 32% in Q3 of 2025 [2][3] - Shopify's gross merchandise volume (GMV) increased by 32% year-over-year in Q3, indicating strong performance on its platform [3] Financial Performance - Shopify's free cash flow represented 18% of its third-quarter revenue, showcasing its ability to generate substantial cash [3] - As of the end of Q3, Shopify held approximately $6 billion in cash and marketable securities, with no debt, reflecting a strong balance sheet [4] Valuation Concerns - The stock is currently trading at a high price-to-earnings ratio of 123 and a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 89, raising questions about its valuation [5] - There are concerns that the market may have already priced in the potential upside from new AI features and tools, leading to skepticism about future growth [8] AI Integration - Shopify is introducing new AI tools, such as the Sidekick AI, which aims to enhance merchant collaboration and predict needs, potentially transforming the business landscape [7] - The introduction of "Shopify Agentic Storefronts" is designed to integrate products into AI conversations, allowing for seamless customer interactions and purchases [7] Future Outlook - Management has indicated a potential deceleration in revenue growth for Q4, expecting a growth rate in the mid-to-high 20s year-over-year, which could impact investor sentiment [8] - While Shopify is recognized as a strong business, its current stock valuation may leave little room for error, leading to uncertainty about its attractiveness as an investment [9]

Key Takeaways Visa's 14.4% YTD rise driven by transaction growth, cross-border volumes and expanding VAS.EPS expected to grow 11.7% in FY26 and 13.2% in FY27, with revenues rising 11.1% and 10.4%.Stablecoin and agentic commerce initiatives position Visa for gradual long-term acceleration.Visa Inc. (V) , a global leader in payment processing, continues to deliver what long-term investors value most: consistency. Supported by resilient consumer spending, rising cross-border volumes and the steady expansion of ...

Continue Reading The following article is authored by Dee Waddell, Global Head of Consumer, Travel & Transportation Industries, IBM Consulting. ARMONK, N.Y., Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Generative AI is reshaping the first steps of our shopping experience before we ever click "buy." From hyper-personalized suggestions to curated inspiration, influence now begins long before a store visit or app tap, moving where brands and retailers compete to an entirely new level. As AI transforms how consumers make choi ...

Commerce operating system Swap has announced a $100 million Series C round, co-led by internet investment firm DST Global and global investment firm Iconiq, which is doubling down on its initial investment.What started as a returns tool has quietly grown into something bigger. Swap moved into cross-border commerce last year, setting up AI-powered infrastructure that lets agents handle transactions, recommendations and payments across global merchants.Expanding its product suite from returns to cross-border ...

Key Takeaways PayPal trades at 10.25X forward P/E, well below industry peers, after shares fell 10.6% in three months.PYPL's 2025 and 2026 earnings estimates were revised higher, signaling improving fundamentals not priced in.PYPL is expanding via agentic commerce partnerships, BNPL features, an ads manager and plans for PayPal Bank.PayPal Holdings (PYPL) shares are trading cheap, as suggested by the Value Score of A. In terms of forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E), PayPal is currently trading at 10.24 ...

Core Insights - Amazon is responding to the emerging threat of AI-powered shopping bots that are changing consumer purchasing behavior online [1][3] - The company is blocking third-party AI shopping tools from accessing its platform while simultaneously developing its own AI-driven shopping experiences [2][4] Group 1: Amazon's Defensive and Offensive Strategies - Amazon has updated its website code to prevent numerous AI bots from scraping data, including those from major AI providers [4] - The company has initiated legal action against Perplexity for unauthorized access through an AI browser agent that can make purchases [4] - Amazon is investing in its own AI tools, such as Rufus, a shopping chatbot, and "Buy for Me," which allows purchases from other retailers within its app [5] Group 2: Industry Implications and Future Directions - The rise of AI shopping agents presents a "leader's dilemma" for Amazon, as these tools enable consumers to bypass traditional retail sites, threatening Amazon's direct customer relationships and advertising revenue [3] - CEO Andy Jassy has acknowledged the inevitability of AI agents in daily life, indicating a potential shift towards collaboration with third-party agents while protecting valuable data [6] - The competition for control over the checkout experience and payment processes is intensifying as AI agents become more integrated into commerce [9]

Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is one of the most widely held stocks by hedge funds in 2025. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) announced on December 18 a significant milestone in the evolution of AI-powered commerce, reporting the successful completion of hundreds of secure, agent-initiated transactions in collaboration with partners across the ecosystem. Management stated that the breakthrough points towards 2025 being the final year where consumers shop and checkout alone, with AI agent-driven payments experiencing a rapid transit ...