Ant International, a leading global provider of digital payments and financial technology, has reported significant progress across all its core business pillars—Alipay+, Antom, WorldFirst, and Embedded Finance. The company’s 2024 achievements reflect its ongoing commitment to expanding digital financial services, improving cross-border transactions, and supporting inclusive growth through technological advancements.
Alipay+ expanded to 90 million merchants across 66 markets, supporting cross-border payments for SMEs.
Antom doubled its payment volume and improved merchant services with new technology.
WorldFirst reached $100 billion in annual total payment volume (TPV), strengthening its position as a leading platform for cross-border payments.
Alipay+ leads cross-border payment innovation
Alipay+ is another success story of 2024 for Ant International. It is a cross-border mobile payment platform that connects more than 90 million merchants in 66 markets. The company has partnered with 35 major mobile payment partners and national QR code schemes, such as Singapore's SGQR and Malaysia's PayNet. Alipay+ aims to enable small and medium enterprises by giving them access to safe and seamless payment solutions. Cross-border transactions on Alipay+ more than triple in 2024, compared to the previous year.
Alipay+ has helped build an all-encompassing ecosystem of digital payments and has benefited the other pillars of Ant International, including Antom and WorldFirst. Given its focus on SMEs within its ecosystem, Ant International solidifies its position as a catalyst in the global landscape of payment transformations.
Antom's growth and technological advancements
The digital payment and merchant services firm, Antom, has grown remarkably in 2024. The TPV for direct acquiring services of Antom has almost doubled from last year. Innovation drivers such as Antom Copilot and EasySafePay have streamlined payment processes for merchants and enhanced their operational efficiency. These include reducing the payment channel integration time and offering security features, which translate to a higher chance of completing payments on the the merchant's side.
WorldFirst's success in cross-border payment and financial services
WorldFirst is the one-stop digital platform for global businesses to make payments. In 2024, it exceeded $100 billion in annual TPV, four times what it had achieved in 2020. With over one million SMEs served globally, WorldFirst has a crucial position in helping SMEs become international players.
Embedded finance and AI-powered solutions
Ant International’s embedded finance segment has expanded significantly in 2024. By leveraging AI and blockchain technology, the company has introduced cutting-edge solutions for cross-border payments, treasury management, and SME lending. Through collaborations with financial institutions, Ant International's blockchain-powered services enable real-time, 24/7 cross-border settlements, making up one-third of the company’s processing volume in 2024.
The company's AI-driven credit and risk technology also supports inclusive financing for underserved SMEs and individuals. By partnering with fintech firms in emerging markets like Bangladesh and Indonesia, Ant International's platform has enabled over 11 million micro-businesses and individuals to access unsecured loans based on more accurate and fairer credit models.