ANT-INTERNATIONAL
15.7.2024 05:40:33 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
BNP Paribas, the European Union’s leading bank, and Ant International, a digital payment and financial technology leader, have formed a strategic partnership to enhance cross-border payment solutions for merchants and consumers in Europe.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240714753209/en/
(Clockwise from top left) Marc Espagnon, Head of Payment and Cash Management at BNP Paribas, Kelvin Li, GM of Platform Technology at Ant International, Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International and Pierre Fersztand, Global Head of Cash Management, Payments, Trade Solutions & Factoring at BNP at the MOU signing ceremony on 3 July (Photo: Business Wire)
In a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 3 July 2024 in Zurich by Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International and Pierre Fersztand, Global Head of Cash Management, Payments, Trade Solutions & Factoring at BNP Paribas, both parties agreed to develop several key initiatives, which will see BNP Paribas working closely with Ant International and its digital payment and innovative businesses.
BNP Paribas will work with Alipay+, the cross-border mobile payment and digitalisation technology solutions operated by Ant International, to enable thousands of merchants that use BNP Paribas' acquiring service across Europe to accept payments from more than 25 international mobile partners via Alipay+.
The two sides also agreed to work together to strengthen WorldFirst’s participation in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) scheme. WorldFirst, Ant International’s one-stop digital payment and financial services platform for global businesses, will reinforce its participation in SEPA to enable businesses to make online cross-border payments and fund transfers more seamlessly within the SEPA Zone.
BNP Paribas will sponsor WorldFirst’s participation in the SEPA scheme, allowing WorldFirst to leverage the bank’s expertise and products to expedite its integration and onboarding onto SEPA. WorldFirst’s clients will be able to access payment schemes under SEPA in real-time and automate treasury payments to optimise their operations.
In addition, BNP Paribas will explore innovations in tokenised deposits for global treasury management with Ant International, through the latter’s Whale platform. The collaboration aims to improve the efficiency and speed of global fund settlements through the use of tokenised deposits.
Ant International will leverage BNP Paribas’ infrastructure to further develop its Whale platform, a next-generation treasury management solution that utilises blockchain technology innovation, including advanced encryption and AI, to improve the efficiency and transparency of fund movement between bank accounts for better global liquidity management.
Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International, said: “Europe is an important region for Ant International, with the rise of cross-border commerce and the increase in travellers to the region, and of course, the excitement around UEFA EURO 2024 this year. Through our collaboration with a leading industry partner, we will bring together digital payments and innovative technology solutions from Ant International, with BNP Paribas’s depth of experience in the European market, to deliver greater connectivity and make global travel and trade more convenient.”
Pierre Fersztand, Global Head of Cash Management, Payments, Trade Solutions & Factoring at BNP Paribas added: “This new agreement with Ant International deepens a long-term collaboration that started in 2016 when Alipay+ was rolled-out in Europe. This is a key step in bolstering our service offering while leveraging on each other’s strengths to offer our clients the best service when it comes to cross-border payments. Additionally, we are keen to foster innovation with such a key player to develop tomorrow’s treasury management standards.”
About Ant International
Headquartered in Singapore, Ant International powers the future of global commerce with digital innovation for everyone and every business to thrive. In close collaboration with partners, we support merchants of all sizes worldwide to realise their growth aspirations through a comprehensive range of tech-driven digital payment and financial services solutions.
About Alipay+
Alipay+ is a suite of cross-border mobile payment and digitalisation technology solutions that help connect global merchants to consumers. Consumers enjoy seamless payment and a broad choice of deals using their preferred payment methods while travelling abroad. Small and medium-sized businesses may use Alipay+ digital tools to enhance efficiency and achieve omni-channel growth.
About WorldFirst
WorldFirst is meeting the needs of SMEs engaged in international trade to expand globally. This includes global collection, making payments, currency conversion, risk management, and supply chain financing to help SMEs reduce costs and improve turnover efficiency to generate more revenue, and quickly capture global business opportunities. WorldFirst, which employs AI and other cutting-edge technologies for risk control, prioritises the safety and security of client funds above all else and has a leading fraud-prevention track record in the industry. WorldFirst has served one million customers worldwide and is connected to over 120 marketplaces. WorldFirst was founded in 2004 and joined Ant Group in 2019.
Learn more about WorldFirst at https://www.worldfirst.com/sg/.
About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas is the European Union’s leading bank and key player in international banking. It operates in 63 countries and has nearly 183,000 employees, including more than 145,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main fields of activity: Commercial, Personal Banking & Services for the Group’s commercial & personal banking and several specialised businesses including BNP Paribas Personal Finance and Arval; Investment & Protection Services for savings, investment and protection solutions; and Corporate & Institutional Banking, focused on corporate and institutional clients. Based on its strong diversified and integrated model, the Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, BNP Paribas has four domestic markets: Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg. The Group is rolling out its integrated commercial & personal banking model across several Mediterranean countries, Turkey, and Eastern Europe. As a key player in international banking, the Group has leading platforms and business lines in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific. BNP Paribas has implemented a Corporate Social Responsibility approach in all its activities, enabling it to contribute to the construction of a sustainable future, while ensuring the Group's performance and stability.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240714753209/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
DCO Launches Second Edition of Digital Prosperity Awards to Recognize Solutions Building the Digital Future18.10.2026 20:35:00 CEST | Press release
The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) launched the second edition of the Digital Prosperity Awards (DPA), opening applications and nominations for eligible public-sector, private-sector and civil-society digital solutions across Member States and beyond. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261018682401/en/ DCO Launches Second Edition of Digital Prosperity Awards to Recognize Solutions Building the Digital Future (Photo: AETOSWire) The Awards recognize technology-driven solutions, initiatives and contributions delivering measurable socioeconomic impact, accelerating digital transformation and advancing an inclusive, sustainable and prosperous digital economy. The inaugural edition honored seven winners in February 2025. Ms. Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the DCO, said: “A prosperous digital future is taking shape today through the vision, commitment and creativity of governments, innovators, organization
Andersen Global styrker sin skatterådgivning til privatkunder med KTA Tax17.10.2026 07:43:00 CEST | Pressemeddelelse
Andersen Global udvider sine skatterådgivningskompetencer inden for private client-området gennem en samarbejdsaftale med KTA Tax, en skattevirksomhed med base i Dublin, der har rådgivet enkeltpersoner og familier i næsten tre årtier. KTA Tax har rådgivet privatkunder og deres familier siden 1997 og forener den personlige tilgang fra et specialiseret rådgivningsfirma med indgående teknisk viden om irsk skatteret. Firmaets ydelser omfatter transaktions- og skatteplanlægning, generationsskifteplanlægning, investeringer og pensioner, internationale skatteforhold, sager hos skattemyndighederne, beskatning af løn og personalegoder samt årlig håndtering af personlige skatteforpligtelser. "Vi har hele tiden haft fokus på én ting: at yde klar og grundig skatterådgivning, der tager højde for vores kunder og deres familiers individuelle forhold," udtalte Lisa Cantillon, administrerende direktør for KTA Tax. "Samarbejdet med Andersen Global er et vigtigt skridt for KTA Tax. Det giver os mulighed
Abu Dhabi Launches TAMM Global to Bring Its AI-Native Government Platform to the World16.10.2026 16:00:00 CEST | Press release
Abu Dhabi has launched TAMM Global, a private technology company established to make the award-winning technology behind TAMM available to governments worldwide. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261016490320/en/ Abu Dhabi Launches TAMM Global to Bring Its AI-Native Government Platform to the World (Photo: AETOSWire) It is the first time the AI-powered platform, which serves 4.7 million users and is recognized as one of the world’s most advanced digital government platforms, will be available for international licensing and deployment. The launch marks a significant milestone in Abu Dhabi’s ambition to become the world’s first AI-native government. It reflects growing international demand for proven technologies that can accelerate digital transformation while protecting sovereignty, regulatory compliance and public trust. It also demonstrates how homegrown innovation and intellectual property are creating oppor
TestMu AI Brings Real Device Testing to Kane CLI, Letting Developers Test Mobile Apps on Real Phones From Any Terminal16.10.2026 16:00:00 CEST | Press release
Plain-English mobile tests now run on real Android and iOS devices in the TestMu AI cloud from any Mac, Windows, or Linux machine, with a live view of the device on the developer's laptop TestMu AI (formerly LambdaTest), the Full Stack Agentic AI Quality Engineering platform, announced real device support in Kane CLI. Developers can now test a mobile app on a real phone or tablet in the TestMu AI cloud straight from the terminal: they type what to test in plain English, and Kane taps through the app on a real Android or iOS device. Until now, testing a mobile app on real hardware meant keeping a drawer of phones, or a separate device farm outside the developer's workflow. With real device support, Kane CLI removes that dependency again now by giving terminal-first access to the real device cloud. Kane CLI on real devices gives teams: Real Android and iOS devices from any terminal. Kane CLI opens a real device in the TestMu AI cloud and taps through the app from natural language prompts
METI and GX Acceleration Agency will hold GGX Finance Summit 202616.10.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
On Monday, October 26th, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and GX Acceleration Agency will hold the GGX (Global GX) Finance Summit at Tokyo Prince Hotel and online. The Summit will advance discussions on transition finance, industry decarbonization, and the role of business and finance in driving decarbonization. It will also promote cooperation among government, industry, and the financial sector, and lead international rulemaking toward achieving both emission reductions and economic growth. Outline of GGX Finance Summit Date: October 26th, 2026 10:00 - 16:20 (JST, GMT+9:00) Venue: Tokyo Prince Hotel (Tokyo) (3-3-1 Shiba-Koen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8560, Japan) Organizer: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), GX Acceleration Agency Co-organizer: GX Future Consortium Format: Hybrid (On-site and on-line) Language: Japanese/English (with English/Japanese simultaneous interpretation) Press Registration Please complete your registration by accessing the official
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom