E-Commerce & AI Commerce News Digest (February 25, 2026)

Top Stories

Stripe Reportedly Considering PayPal Acquisition -- A Seismic Shift in Payments

Stripe Eyes PayPal Acquisition as Fintech Giant Seeks Revival

PayPal surges 7% on reports Stripe is weighing acquisition of struggling payments pioneer

Stripe, the largest private fintech company, is reportedly considering an acquisition of payments pioneer PayPal. PayPal shares surged 7% on the news.

Stripe reached a $91.5B valuation in 2025, making it one of the world's largest fintech companies as a private entity. Meanwhile, PayPal's once-dominant position in online payments has been eroded by Apple and Google's entry into payments, the rise of BNPL, and the wave of agentic commerce.

If this acquisition materializes, Stripe would control both infrastructure payments (developer APIs) and consumer-facing payments (PayPal/Venmo), potentially transforming the payments industry landscape entirely. For e-commerce brands, this is significant news that could impact payment options and fee structures.

Full article: Stripe Reportedly Considering PayPal Acquisition -- A Seismic Shift in Payments

Visa, Mastercard, AmEx Face Structural Threat from Agentic Commerce

Visa, Mastercard, AmEx could be gutted by AI 'agentic commerce' threat, Citrini Research warns — but retail traders unfazed by selloff

From stablecoins to machine-to-machine payments, a new report argues Visa, Mastercard and AmEx face a structural shakeup, not just another tech cycle.

Investment research firm Citrini Research has published a report warning that AI agentic commerce poses a structural threat to the existing business models of Visa, Mastercard, and AmEx.

According to the report, as AI agents begin automating the entire process from purchase decisions to payments, they will increasingly tend to select the cheapest payment routes. If stablecoins and machine-to-machine (M2M) payments gain traction, transactions bypassing traditional card networks could increase significantly.

However, retail traders remain relatively calm about this threat, with selling pressure on Visa and Mastercard shares remaining limited. While the short-term impact may be small, the medium-to-long-term implications for e-commerce payment infrastructure choices could be substantial.

Full article: Visa, Mastercard, AmEx Face Structural Threat from Agentic Commerce

Agentic Commerce

"My AI Bought That, Not Me" -- Agentic Commerce to Drive New Wave of Disputes

"I didn't buy that, my AI did". Agentic commerce to drive new wave of disputes

Chargebacks911 says the rise of agentic commerce is set to shift dispute patterns as AI systems move from recommending purchases to executing them.

Chargeback prevention firm Chargebacks911 warns that dispute patterns will fundamentally change as AI agents move beyond merely recommending products to actually executing purchases.

Cases where consumers claim "I didn't buy that -- my AI did" are expected to increase. Traditional chargeback systems were designed on the assumption that humans make purchase decisions, creating ambiguity around liability when AI is involved in the buying process.

For e-commerce brands, establishing return and dispute policies for AI agent-mediated transactions is becoming urgent.

Full article: "My AI Bought That, Not Me" -- Agentic Commerce to Drive New Wave of Disputes

Vouched Launches "Agent Checkpoint" -- Building Trust in the AI Agent Era

Vouched Launches Agent Checkpoint to Establish Trust in the Age of AI Agents

Vouched, the leader in AI-powered identity verification, today announced Agent Checkpoint, a groundbreaking platform that helps organizations confidently engage with AI agents.

AI-powered identity verification company Vouched has announced "Agent Checkpoint," a platform for verifying the trustworthiness of AI agents.

The system allows businesses to confirm whether an AI agent has been properly authorized by a legitimate user when conducting transactions. As agentic commerce expands, this solution addresses the critical trust question of "does this AI actually have purchasing authority?"

The New Era of Shopping Raises $1.4M Pre-Seed for Agentic Commerce Support

The New Era of Shopping raises $1.4M Pre-Seed to help brands win in the age of agentic commerce

The round positions Era to capitalise on a retail shift where visibility is determined less by keywords and more by how AI systems interpret product data.

The New Era of Shopping, which develops tools to help brands get "selected by AI search" in the agentic commerce era, has raised $1.4M in pre-seed funding.

The platform supports the transition from traditional SEO (keyword optimization) to "AIO (AI Optimization)" based on how AI systems interpret product data. As agentic commerce takes hold, brand visibility is increasingly determined not by keywords but by AI comprehension -- a structural shift the company is addressing.

Payments & Fintech

Checkout.com Achieves Full-Year Profitability, Surpasses $300B in Volume

Checkout.com Returns to Full-Year Profitability and Surpasses $300B in Volume, as It Positions for the Era of Agentic Commerce

Checkout.com today announced a return to full-year EBITDA profitability and record-breaking volume in 2025

UK-based payment platform Checkout.com has announced achieving full-year EBITDA profitability in 2025, with annual processing volume surpassing $300B.

The company had previously faced a significant valuation markdown from its $40B peak, but has recovered through cost optimization and large merchant acquisition. Notably, the company has positioned payment infrastructure development for the agentic commerce era as a strategic pillar.

As automated payments by AI agents increase, low-latency, high-security payment APIs are in demand, and Checkout.com is poised to meet this need.

Full article: Checkout.com Achieves Full-Year Profitability, Positions for the Agentic Commerce Era

Global E-Commerce Trends

TikTok Shop Could Become a Top-Three Global Retailer by 2030

TikTok Shop could become a top-three global retailer by 2030

Report estimates TikTok Shop could rank among top three global retailers by 2030, reaching $1T in sales and reshaping global marketplace share

According to a new report, TikTok Shop could reach $1T in sales by 2030, potentially becoming the world's third-largest retailer after Amazon and Walmart.

TikTok Shop, driving explosive growth in social commerce, is rapidly expanding primarily across Southeast Asia. Its "discovery commerce" model that fuses entertainment with purchasing aligns particularly well with Gen Z and millennial consumer behavior.

For e-commerce brands, the time has come to seriously consider whether to incorporate TikTok Shop into their channel strategy.

Full article: TikTok Shop Could Become a Top-Three Global Retailer by 2030

U.S. E-Commerce Market Projected to Reach $1.8 Trillion by 2030

US e-commerce sales to reach $1.8 trillion by 2030

Though shoppers are projected to spend more online, over 70% of retail sales will still come from stores, according to a Forrester report.

According to a Forrester report, U.S. e-commerce sales are projected to reach $1.8T by 2030. However, over 70% of total retail sales are still expected to come from physical stores.

While online growth continues, the importance of omnichannel strategy remains unchanged -- an integrated approach combining both online and in-store is essential, rather than relying on either channel alone.

MercadoLibre Q4 Earnings -- Revenue Beats Estimates, Profit Misses on Investment Burden

MercadoLibre misses quarterly profit estimates but revenue exceeds expectations

MercadoLibre on Tuesday posted a 12.5% decline in quarterly profit, missing analysts' projections, as the e-commerce firm was hit by credit and logistics investments. Revenue, however, came in above estimates, helped by business in Brazil and Mexico.

Latin America's largest e-commerce company MercadoLibre has released its Q4 earnings. While revenue exceeded analyst expectations, quarterly profit declined 12.5% and came in below estimates.

The profit decline was primarily driven by aggressive investment in its fintech business (MercadoPago) credit expansion and logistics infrastructure. Operations in Brazil and Mexico drove revenue growth, putting the balance between medium-to-long-term growth investment and short-term profitability under scrutiny.

De Minimis Policy Lessons -- New Friction in Cross-Border E-Commerce

What 'De Minimis' Taught Us About Trade Policy Shifts

Global governments are phasing out 'de minimis' exemptions to formalize e-commerce and ensure national fiscal integrity, writes Patrick Lassauzet.

Governments worldwide are accelerating the reduction and elimination of de minimis duty-free thresholds for small e-commerce shipments. This article examines how these policy changes affect cross-border e-commerce companies like Shein and Temu, and what e-commerce brands should prepare for.

Trade policy changes are creating new friction in cross-border e-commerce, requiring businesses to address rising logistics costs and compliance requirements.

AI Commerce Tools

THG Studios Fuses AI-Driven Catwalk with Live Social Commerce

THG Studios fuses AI-Driven Catwalk with live social commerce

THG Studios, the award-winning creative marketing agency, has announced a significant enhancement to its AI-powered virtual catwalk technology.

THG Studios has announced a new feature combining AI-generated virtual catwalks with live social commerce. In partnership with Shark Beauty and LOOKFANTASTIC, it delivers shoppable content experiences where products worn by AI models can be purchased in real time.

The fusion of AI content generation with social commerce is gaining attention as a new sales channel for brands.

Corporate News

Walmart Expands Scintilla In-Store to Link Store Data and Marketing

Walmart expands Scintilla In-Store to link store data and marketing

The Walmart new Scintilla In-Store platform gives suppliers near real-time visibility into shelf inventory and store execution.

Walmart has expanded its "Scintilla In-Store" platform, providing suppliers with near real-time visibility into in-store shelf inventory and execution status.

As an evolution of retail media, this approach directly links store data with digital marketing. Suppliers can optimize ad delivery based on inventory status, improving omnichannel precision.

Summary

Today's news centers on the theme of "payment infrastructure transformation." Stripe's potential PayPal acquisition, the agentic commerce threat to Visa/MC/AmEx, and Checkout.com's profitability recovery with agentic commerce positioning -- all point to a fundamental rethinking of how payments work in an era where AI agents automate purchasing.

Meanwhile, the emergence of "my AI bought that" dispute issues and trust-building solutions like Agent Checkpoint suggest that agentic commerce is moving from "technically possible" to "how do we build the institutional framework" phase.

Going forward, watch for updates on the Stripe x PayPal story and developments in consumer protection legislation for agentic commerce.