Ant International, a Singapore-based digital payments and fintech company and Ant Group’s global business arm, said it secured a Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes (Category II) license and a Stored Value Facilities license from the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The approvals move Antom closer to offering merchant acquiring services in the UAE and allow WorldFirst to provide cross-border financial services there.

Alipay+ will continue to operate in the UAE through partnerships with locally licensed banks and acquirers, separate from the new approvals.

Ant International described itself as Ant Group’s global business arm, placing the UAE move within the group’s broader international payments and fintech strategy.

The expansion comes as the UAE payments market expands, and the country serves as a regional hub for trade and cross-border transactions.

🔗 Source: Alipay+

Recent Ant International developments