OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Instant Checkout with Stripe & New Payment Tools

September 30, 2025

On September 29, 2025, OpenAI, a leader in artificial intelligence, has recently launched a new feature called ChatGPT Instant Checkout. This feature was developed in partnership with Stripe.

This innovation is a key moment. It changes ChatGPT from just a chat AI into a strong platform. Now, it can help users make direct purchases in the chat.

Here’s a quick look at how ChatGPT Instant Checkout works in real time.

Video Credit: OpenAI

Table of Contents

OpenAI’s Instant Checkout

ChatGPT Instant Checkout, powered by Stripe, will be a big step forward in using AI in commerce in 2025. This feature lets users in the US buy products directly in the ChatGPT interface.

This removes the need to visit other websites. This seamless integration is designed to reduce friction in the buying process, converting conversational product discovery into immediate transactions.

The initial rollout started with items from US Etsy sellers. There are plans to quickly expand to over one million Shopify merchants. This shows the big goals of this new venture, as reported by India Today and OpenAI’s official announcement.

The main idea of Instant Checkout is to use ChatGPT’s chat skills. It helps users choose products and complete their purchase smoothly. This marks a strategic shift for OpenAI, moving beyond informational assistance to direct transactional engagement.

The partnership with Stripe is crucial here, providing the robust and secure payment infrastructure necessary for such a large-scale commerce initiative

What is ChatGPT Instant Checkout?

ChatGPT Instant Checkout is a new feature that allows users to complete purchases for physical goods directly within the ChatGPT conversational interface.

This means that after interacting with ChatGPT about a product, users can proceed to buy it without being redirected to an external e-commerce site.

The goal is to provide an uninterrupted shopping experience, from discovery to transaction, all powered by advanced AI technology.

Key Features of Instant Checkout

In-Chat Purchases: Users can buy products directly within the ChatGPT interface, eliminating external redirects.
Broad Merchant Coverage: Starting with Etsy US sellers, expanding to over 1 million Shopify merchants.
Seamless Payment: Utilizes stored payment credentials or new inputs for quick, secure transactions.
AI-Powered Discovery: Product suggestions are organic and relevance-based, not influenced by merchant fees.
Initial Single-Item Support: Currently supports single-item purchases, with multi-item carts planned for future updates.

The introduction of Instant Checkout is not merely an incremental update, it represents a fundamental change in how consumers might interact with e-commerce platforms.

Security Measures in Place

Shared Payment Token (SPT): Encrypts and tokenizes payment details, preventing direct exposure of sensitive information.
Stripe’s Fraud Protection: Leverages Stripe’s extensive experience and algorithms to detect and prevent fraudulent transactions.
PCI DSS Compliance: Stripe’s infrastructure is built to the highest Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) levels.
Data Privacy: OpenAI and Stripe adhere to strict data privacy regulations, ensuring user information is handled responsibly.
Merchant Control: Merchants manage their own fulfillment and customer data, maintaining existing security protocols.

The emphasis on security and merchant autonomy is crucial for the widespread adoption of Instant Checkout. By providing a secure and reliable payment infrastructure, OpenAI and Stripe are building trust in this new form of agentic commerce

The Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP)

This protocol is the technological backbone that facilitates seamless programmatic commerce flows between AI agents, such as ChatGPT, and businesses.

AI-to-merchant bridge for seamless commerce.

ACP is designed to make businesses “agent-ready,” allowing customers to move from product discovery to checkout directly within an AI interface without any friction.

This marks a significant evolution from traditional desktop and mobile shopping experiences to a new era of AI-enabled commerce, where AI interfaces function as new storefronts, as highlighted by Stripe’s blog.

How ACP Works

The Agentic Commerce Protocol operates by creating a secure bridge between the AI agent and the merchant’s payment and fulfillment systems. When a user decides to purchase a product recommended by ChatGPT, ACP orchestrates the transaction.

Image Credit: OpenAI

Stripe issues a Shared Payment Token (SPT), ensuring that payment information is protected and never directly exposed to the AI agent or the merchant in its raw form. This robust security framework is a cornerstone of ACP, as detailed by Stripe’s newsroom.

Comparison of Traditional vs. Agentic Commerce

Comparison of Traditional vs. Agentic Commerce
Feature	Traditional E-commerce	Agentic Commerce (via ACP)
Discovery-to-Purchase Path	External website redirects, multiple clicks	Directly within AI chat interface, seamless
Payment Processing	Merchant’s chosen gateway, direct input	Stripe-powered SPT, secure tokenization
Merchant Control	Full control over all aspects	Directly within the AI chat interface, seamless
User Experience	Full control over fulfillment, support, and refunds	Highly integrated, reduced friction, higher conversion potential
Security Model	Varies by merchant, PCI compliance	Can be fragmented, with potential for cart abandonment

Benefits of Agentic Commerce Protocol

Access to a Vast User Base: Over 700 million people use ChatGPT weekly, offering merchants a massive new sales channel.
Reduced Cart Abandonment: The in-chat purchase flow minimizes friction, potentially leading to higher conversion rates.
Innovative Sales Channel: Positions merchants at the forefront of AI technology trends in commerce, attracting tech-savvy customers.
Organic Product Discovery: ChatGPT’s recommendations are based on relevance, ensuring quality leads for merchants.
Maintained Control: Merchants retain full responsibility for fulfillment, customer service, and returns, preserving their brand experience.

Conclusion

This announcement, made on September 29, 2025, marks the start of a new era in agentic commerce. By combining OpenAI’s conversational power with Stripe’s secure payment infrastructure, the way people shop online could change forever.

For further insights, explore our other blogs, including coverage of the June 2025 Google Update, and the growing role of SEO and Generative AI.

References/Further Reading

OpenAI Blog: Buy it in ChatGPT

Agentic Commerce Protocol

Stripe Blog: Developing an Open Standard for Agentic Commerce