cross-border<\/a> payments platform, WorldFirst, to operate in the Malaysian market.<\/p>\nThe licence enhances WorldFirst\u2019s ability to support local businesses with secure, compliant international payment solutions, and adds to its portfolio of over 60 licences worldwide.<\/p>\n
The approval strengthens WorldFirst\u2019s regional presence and marks a key milestone in Ant International\u2019s strategy to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with innovative, global-facing financial infrastructure. Tailored for businesses engaged in cross-border trade, WorldFirst enables efficient foreign currency collection, FX conversion, global payments, and treasury management through a single, integrated World Account.<\/p>\n
With Malaysia identified as a high-potential digital trade market its e-commerce GMV projected to reach USD\u202f25\u202fbillion by 2030 WorldFirst\u2019s entry comes at a time of growing demand for multi-currency capabilities, faster settlement, and cost-effective FX solutions. Malaysian merchants are increasingly adopting diverse payment methods and seeking tools that enhance operational efficiency and scalability.<\/p>\n
WorldFirst\u2019s localised operations will focus on meeting these evolving needs. The World Account allows sellers to collect payments from over 130 global marketplaces, while enabling buyers to pay international suppliers with ease and speed.<\/p>\n
The move aligns with Ant International\u2019s broader investment in Malaysia, including the establishment of a Digital Business Centre to tap into local tech talent and drive regional innovation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe licence marks a significant milestone in WorldFirst\u2019s commitment to Southeast Asia. More importantly, it enables us to better serve Southeast Asian SMEs with secure, compliant cross-border financial services while contributing to the region’s digital ecosystem,\u201d said Clara Shi, Vice President of Ant International and CEO of WorldFirst.<\/strong><\/p>\nAs part of its global roadmap, WorldFirst also plans to introduce the World Card in Malaysia\u2014an SME-focused payment solution developed in partnership with Mastercard, offering enhanced control over international spending and operational flexibility.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35851,"featured_media":569536,"parent":0,"template":"","categories":[11395,11381,41779,11368,11375,11376,42764,11379,35279,11384,11397],"tags":[11864,37446,11438,11409,12472,11769,11549,11515,11420,12534,11753],"class_list":["post-569535","ibsi_news","type-ibsi_news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-analytics","category-artificial-intelligence","category-banktech","category-core-banking","category-cybersecurity","category-digital-banking","category-digital-payments","category-lending","category-loans","category-payments","category-saas","tag-apac","tag-apac-news","tag-digital-payments","tag-digital-transformation","tag-financial-inclusion","tag-financial-institutions","tag-financial-services","tag-fintech","tag-payments-as-a-service","tag-payments-processing","tag-smes"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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