Google rolls out Merchant Center UCP integration hub in the U.S.

Google is gradually rolling out its Merchant Center Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) integration hub to U.S. merchants, giving retailers new ways to connect shopping and checkout experiences with Google.

What’s new. Eligible merchants can select which UCP capabilities they want to support through Merchant Center, rather than relying on a single checkout experience.

The options. Merchants can enable cart transfer to their own website, native checkout on Google and identity linking, creating different ways for shoppers to move between Google and a merchant’s commerce infrastructure.

The rollout. The integration hub is rolling out gradually in the United States first. Google has shifted the rollout timeline for other markets, with Australia and Canada now expected to follow next year.

What else changed. Google has renamed the relevant Merchant Center help page to reflect the UCP integration hub. It has also removed a previous FAQ discussing UCP-powered checkout for select U.S. merchants, bringing the documentation in line with the broader rollout.

Why we care. A more integrated checkout infrastructure could reduce friction between product discovery and purchase, particularly as Google builds more AI-driven shopping experiences. Merchants that connect early may also be better positioned for commerce experiences where AI agents can help shoppers research products, build carts and complete transactions.

The bigger picture. UCP is part of Google’s broader push toward agentic commerce, creating standardized connections between merchants, shopping platforms and AI-powered experiences.

The bottom line. Google is moving UCP from a limited checkout capability toward a broader Merchant Center integration layer, giving U.S. merchants more choice over how customers identify themselves, transfer carts and complete purchases.