WorldFirst, a provider of digital cross-border payment and treasury account services for global businesses, announced a 300% increase in emerging markets transaction volume during the first half of 2025, a figure highlighted at its recent Financial Partners Day in London.
The event gathered over 60 representatives from more than 30 financial institutions to discuss strategies for leveraging bank-fintech collaboration. Discussions focused on interoperability, SME-focused solutions, and digital innovation to foster a more resilient and inclusive financial ecosystem, aligning with the Eurosystem’s retail payments strategy to simplify international payments for European businesses.
Illustrating the impact of these solutions, Coco XU, founder of the London-based pet supply brand Cococat, shared her experience. Her company, which saw its eco-friendly cat litter reach Amazon’s top 100 within a year, faced challenges in managing multi-currency cash flow and securing efficient fund transfers to the UK. By integrating WorldFirst’s account service, Cococat reduced transaction costs by 20% compared to traditional methods and accelerated settlement times from 5-7 days to near real-time.
WorldFirst currently supports over 1.2 million merchants worldwide with its bank-backed solutions. Key offerings include World Account, a comprehensive platform for global payments, collections, FX conversion, and treasury management, enabling businesses to pay in over 100 currencies and collect in more than 20 across 200+ countries and regions. The World Card, a virtual card solution, aims to streamline secure domestic and cross-border payments for SMEs, with plans for credit access and a full-scale rollout in Europe this year. Value-added services such as competitive wholesale FX rates and forward contracts are also provided to mitigate currency risk.
Clara SHI, CEO of WorldFirst, commented on the significance of these partnerships. “The power of fintech-bank collaboration lies in building a more robust and inclusive financial ecosystem,” she stated. “This synergy enables us to deliver solutions with global coverage, efficiency, and security to SMEs engaged in cross-border commerce, providing our financial partners with a strategic gateway to the vibrant—and often hard-to-reach—SME economy.” WorldFirst’s banking network includes eight global systemically important banks, such as J.
P. Morgan, Standard Chartered, Barclays, HSBC, and Citibank. BNP Paribas is a key strategic partner in Europe.
Pierre Fersztand, Global Head of Cash Management, Trade Solutions & Factoring at BNP Paribas, underscored the partnership’s value: “Today’s clients expect seamless digital experiences supported by the stability of a global bank. Our collaboration with WorldFirst ensures we remain at the forefront of providing innovative trade finance and cash management services that drive growth and financial inclusion.”
Looking ahead, WorldFirst is advancing its technological capabilities with AI-driven initiatives designed to enhance security, compliance, and user experience. This includes leveraging advanced AI and machine learning for real-time transaction screening, maintaining a sub-0.01% fraud rate, and streamlining compliance processes. Additionally, WorldFirst’s intelligent assistant, Anthea, provides 24/7 multilingual support to help sellers navigate cross-cultural barriers and language gaps.
Clara SHI further noted, “At WorldFirst, we see AI as the core driver for the next generation of cross-border trade. Our focus is shifting from merely leveraging AI for risk defense to actively deploying it to empower businesses. By simplifying technical complexity, we are democratizing access to the global economy and turning cross-border payments into a streamlined experience for every business.” Mahesh Kini, Global Head of Cash Management, Standard Chartered, added, “We are pleased to see the increased positive impact that our partnership with WorldFirst is making on its clients and the broader ecosystem. This is in line with our efforts to offer seamless and secure last mile digital payment and FX solutions that enable these companies to scale their operations.”
Complementing its digital expansion, WorldFirst is also establishing new physical offices in Kuala Lumpur, Mexico, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia to strengthen its local support network. This localized approach resonated with clients like Coco Xu, who highlighted the importance of WorldFirst’s London office: “Whenever we have a question, we can talk to a real person who understands our local context. It truly feels like a partnership.”
