Ant International lands $1.2B Series A for cross-border payments push

Ant International has closed a Series A equity round of approximately $1.2 billion, backed by existing investors Ant Group and Alibaba Group alongside international institutions. The Singapore- and Shanghai-based company provides digital payment and financial technology services to merchants and financial institutions worldwide.

Ant International began operating independently in 2024. The raise follows that spin-off, giving the company capital to expand a business already spanning Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.

The proceeds will fund global expansion and innovation in merchant payment, account management, and inclusive financial services for small businesses and enterprises. The company runs four pillars — Alipay+, Antom, WorldFirst, and Bettr — focused on payment interoperability and cross-border commerce.

Ant International connects more than 150 million merchants with over 2 billion user accounts through partnerships with banks, card organisations, and payment providers.

At roughly $1.2 billion, this ranks among the largest Series A rounds ever recorded — in the top 1% of more than 2,700 comparable deals. It underscores how much capital is flowing into cross-border payments infrastructure and AI-powered merchant tools as global commerce fragments across regions.