Ant International, a global digital payment and financial technology provider, has unveiled its inaugural Sustainability Report, outlining a new framework aimed at integrating social and business value across its global operations.
The release of the framework follows a significant transformation for Ant International in 2024, as it became independent after a reorganization of Ant Group. Headquartered in Singapore with over 30 offices worldwide, Ant International focuses on providing cross-border digital payment, commerce, and finance solutions. The company connects more than 100 million merchants to global consumers through its four business units: Alipay+ (global e-wallet gateway), Antom (merchant payment service), WorldFirst (cross-border business account service), and Bettr (embedded finance services including treasury management and credit solutions).
Ant International’s updated mission is to simplify global business operations and contribute to positive incremental changes, while its vision is to be an innovative and trusted digital partner fostering inclusive growth. Chairman Eric Jing emphasized the urgency for technology companies to enhance social commitments through concrete action amidst global economic turbulence and the growing digital divide. “The call for action on the digital tech community has never been so urgent: we need to take action to ensure innovation works for the many, not the few, so we can build a truly inclusive and sustainable global economy for the next generation,” Jing stated. Yang Peng, Chief Executive Officer, and Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International, added that they believe their sustainability and business efforts, combined with practical technological innovation, can promote a more inclusive “re-globalisation.”
The company’s Sustainability Framework is built upon six key areas, known as the “6T Principle,” which integrate social and business value creation: Travel (enabling global connections), Trade (empowering global commerce), Thrive (enabling the underserved), Technology (driving open innovation), Talent (nurturing digital skills), and Trust (strengthening the digital ecosystem).
In the travel sector, Alipay+ has facilitated inclusive and accessible payment options worldwide, connecting over 1.7 billion user accounts via partnerships with 36 e-wallets and 6 national QR schemes. More than 90% of offline Alipay+ merchants are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). For trade, WorldFirst has supported over 1.2 million SMEs in selling products and services across more than 200 markets, processing cumulative transaction values of approximately USD 100 billion in over 100 currencies in 2024. AI-enabled solutions, such as Antom Copilot, an AI payment assistant, have reduced the time required for payment integration by 90%.
Beyond payments, Ant International’s Wallet Tech capabilities have accelerated sustainable digital economic growth for 31 partners across 23 markets. The company is developing AI-powered fintech solutions to enhance growth and security for merchants and fintech partners. Within its Embedded Finance unit, the Falcon Time-Series Transformer (TST) FX Model aids SMEs in managing cross-border liquidity volatility with an hourly demand prediction accuracy exceeding 90%. As of 2024, AI-powered Credit Tech solutions from ANEXT Bank and Ant Bank (Hong Kong) have extended lending and inclusive financial services to over 15 million users in emerging markets, primarily SMEs.
Ant International collaborates with regulators, international organizations, and over 1,000 financial institutions to foster a trust-based digital ecosystem. The company focuses on two pillars of trust: a comprehensive compliance structure and advanced AI-security capabilities, including sharing anti-deepfake expertise with the broader community. These collaborations extend to initiatives like MSME sustainability credentials and financing innovations, as well as joint research on privacy-enhancing technology. The 10×1000 Tech for Inclusion Programme, now in its seventh year, has provided fintech and digital innovation training to 7,157 individuals across 110 countries and regions.
The soft launch of Ant International’s Sustainability Report took place at the Point Zero Forum in Zurich in May 2025. Mr. Sing Chiong Leong, Deputy Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), delivered opening remarks. Ms. Nan Li Collins, Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchange Initiative, also spoke at the event, emphasizing the importance of equal access and growth opportunities for SMEs through trade. “While the digital economy is booming, developing countries still face a critical gap in essential infrastructure investment – a challenge we must address to ensure no one is left behind in the global transition to sustainable growth,” Collins stated. Chen Leiming, Chief Sustainability Officer of Ant International, commented, “Sustainability must be inclusive to be effective. At Ant International, by integrating sustainability into how we innovate, operate and grow, we ensure that every business outcome is also a step towards long-term societal progress.”
