Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 20, 2026

Ant International

Ant International is a Singapore-based financial technology company that provides digital payment, digitization, and financial services across international markets, including Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Last revised
Jul 20, 2026
Read time
≈ 5 min
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1,041 w
Citations
27
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Ant International
TypePrivate
IndustryFinancial technology
Founded2023
Headquarters
Singapore
Key people
  • Peng Yang (CEO)
  • Douglas Feagin (President)
  • Leiming Chen (Chief Sustainability Officer)
Websitewww.ant-intl.com

Ant International is a Singapore-based financial technology company that provides digital payment, digitization, and financial services across international markets, including Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.1

History

Ant International was founded in 2023 as part of Ant Group’s initiative to expand its services beyond the Chinese mainland.2 It initially operated as the global business arm of Ant Group, focusing on digital payments and financial services in international markets.3

In March 2024, Ant Group announced a restructuring of some of its operations into independently managed business units.4 As a result of this reorganization, Ant International became an independently operated company.5 Following its establishment, the company introduced several digital finance platforms and expanded its services globally.6

WorldFirst

WorldFirst is a global provider of cross-border payments and treasury services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).7

History

WorldFirst was founded in 2004 in the United Kingdom with the aim of simplifying foreign-exchange processes for SMEs.8 Between 2007 and 2008, the company launched its online platform and expanded through e-commerce and corporate FX services.9

WorldFirst began international expansion in 2009 with the opening of its first overseas office in Sydney, followed by additional offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands, Japan, and Korea between 2013 and 2016.10

In 2019, WorldFirst became a part of Ant Group (formerly Ant Financial) and expanded its services across Asia and other emerging markets.11

In 2024, Ant Group announced a reorganization of its operations, where WorldFirst moved into its international group.1213

In 2025, WorldFirst officially entered into Thailand, and further secured a license from Bank Negara Malaysia to operate in Malaysia.14

Products and services

WorldFirst provides global business payment and financial services unified in one global account.1516 Its services include a virtual card solution, World Card, and multi-currency business account, World Account.17 The firm offers enterprise services with an AI-driven financial suite built for digital platforms operating across borders, and supports e-commerce and marketplace integrations.18 It also integrates with multiple global e-marketplaces and supports local collections in multiple currencies.19

Business model

Ant International operates a business model focused on providing digital payment and financial services to financial institutions and merchants.20 The company develops and manages platforms that facilitate electronic payments, digital wallet interoperability, and financial services for businesses engaged in international trade.21 Its services include Alipay+, solutions that links various regional e-wallets to support cross-border transactions; Antom, which provides merchant payment systems and related tools and Bettr, which supports the integration of credit services into third-party platforms.21

To enhance transaction security, Ant International employs an artificial intelligence-based system known as AI SHIELD, which is intended to identify and address fraudulent activity during payment processing.22

Partnerships

Ant International has formed collaborations with Deutsche Bank and other notable global financial institutions to support the development and deployment of financial technologies such as stablecoins.23 In partnership with Barclays, the company has worked on artificial intelligence models aimed at improving foreign exchange forecasting and treasury-related functions.24 It has also partnered with HSBC to introduce tokenised deposit services in Hong Kong, using blockchain technology.25 In Europe, Ant International has collaborated with BNP Paribas to develop infrastructure for cross-border payments, with the goal of enhancing the efficiency of international transactions.26

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Wency Chen,"Ant International issues first sustainability report after spin-off amid IPO speculation". South China Morning Post. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  2. "Ant Group's global unit pulls in US$3 billion in revenue ahead of spin-off". South China Morning Post. 19 May 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  3. "Ant Group Expands Singapore Presence and Launches Ant International Foundation". thedigitalbanker.com. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  4. Ann Cao,"Ant Group expands Alipay into two business units in latest restructuring move". South China Morning Post. 24 December 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  5. "Ant International Launches First Sustainability Report and Framework". Fintech News Singapore. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  6. Liu Ran and Denise Jia,"Ant International's First Sustainability Report Reveals Extent of Global Expansion and Fuels IPO Speculation". caixinglobal.com. 17 June 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  7. Prokop, Jane. "Ant International's WorldFirst Launches World Card to Simplify Payment for Global Commerce". ffnews.com. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  8. "World First: The former car-plate seller who is racing ahead in forex". standard.co.uk. 2014-01-27. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  9. "WorldFirst Expands Cross-Border Financial Solutions to Southeast Asia, Boosting SME Growth in E-commerce". sme.asia. 2023-11-15. Archived from the original on 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  10. "WorldFirst transactions soar on SME global trade". theasset.com. 2024-10-17. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  11. "Ant International's WorldFirst gets approval to provide payment services in Malaysia". technode.global. 2025-08-08. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  12. "Ant Group's Global Unit Posts US$3 Billion Revenue Ahead of Planned Spinoff". fintechnews.sg. 2025-05-20. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  13. "Ant Group Expands Singapore Presence and Launches Ant International Foundation". thedigitalbanker.com. 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  14. "Ant International's WorldFirst Reports 300% Transaction Growth in Emerging MarketsWorldFirst enters Thailand to strengthen SME cross-border payments". thedigitalbanker.com. 2025-10-02. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  15. "Ant International's WorldFirst Reports 300% Transaction Growth in Emerging Markets". fintechnews.sg. 2025-10-01. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  16. "Ant Int'l's WorldFirst gains Malaysia licence to expand international payments". asianbankingandfinance.net. 2024-04-22. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  17. "WorldFirst Looks to Build Trust in B2B Trade 'Through Digital Means' With WorldTrade". thefintechtimes.com. 2024-04-22. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  18. "WorldFirst Launches Enterprise Payments Solution for Global Digital Platforms". fintechnews.sg. 2025-11-25. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  19. "WorldFirst Partners With Mastercard to Launch Virtual Card to Bolster SME Growth". thefintechtimes.com. 2025-04-18. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  20. "Ant Group's Global Unit Posts US$3 Billion Revenue Ahead of Planned Spinoff". Fintech News Singapore. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  21. "Ant International Announces Sustainability Framework, Serving 100 mn Merchants to Advance Inclusive Growth in Re-globalisation". ffnews.com. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  22. "Ant International pushes AI strategy with AI platform for fintechs". thedigitalbanker.com. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  23. "Deutsche Bank, Ant to Improve Payment and FX Services for Businesses". fintechnews.sg. 11 June 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  24. "Ant International Combines Capabilities With Barclays to Make FX Transactions More Efficient". thefintechtimes.com. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  25. Julie Zhang,"HSBC launches Hong Kong's first blockchain-based settlement service with Ant International". South China Morning Post. 22 May 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  26. Cameron Emanuel-Burns,"BNP Paribas partners Ant International to enhance cross-border payment solutions in Europe". fintechfutures.com. 16 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
External links