PayPal just became the first payment wallet integrated into ChatGPT, marking a major shift toward AI-powered commerce. The deal, sealed over the weekend, lets PayPal's hundreds of millions of users buy items directly through OpenAI's chatbot starting next year, while merchants can sell their inventory without separate OpenAI integration. This positions PayPal as the payments backbone for what CEO Alex Chriss calls the "agentic commerce" revolution.
PayPal just locked in a game-changing partnership that could reshape how we shop with AI. The fintech giant signed an exclusive deal with OpenAI over the weekend to embed its digital wallet directly into ChatGPT, making it the first payment platform integrated into the world's most popular AI assistant.
Starting next year, PayPal's hundreds of millions of users will see a familiar "Buy with PayPal" button pop up when ChatGPT suggests products. But this isn't just about payments - it's a two-sided marketplace play. PayPal merchants can now sell their inventory through ChatGPT without needing separate agreements with OpenAI, while buyers get the same fraud protection and dispute resolution they're used to.
"We've got hundreds of millions of loyal PayPal wallet holders who now will be able to click the 'Buy with PayPal button' on ChatGPT and have a safe and secure checkout experience," CEO Alex Chriss told CNBC in an exclusive interview.
The timing couldn't be better for PayPal's AI commerce bet. OpenAI has been aggressively expanding ChatGPT's e-commerce capabilities, with 700 million weekly users now able to shop through the platform. Last month, the company added Shopify and Etsy merchants, and just two weeks ago announced a major partnership with Walmart. PayPal's integration gives it a front-row seat to what Chriss calls "agentic commerce" - AI assistants acting like personal shoppers.
"It's a whole new paradigm for shopping," Chriss explained. "It's hard to imagine that agentic commerce isn't going to be a big part of the future."
PayPal's move reflects a broader strategy to become the payments infrastructure for AI-driven shopping. The company recently struck similar deals with Google for its AI shopping features and partnered with AI search startup . By positioning itself as the go-to payment processor for AI platforms, PayPal is betting it can capture a slice of what could become a massive new commerce channel.
