Ant International is positioning itself to deepen its footprint in the Middle East by securing two critical regulatory approvals from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE). By obtaining the Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes (Category II) (RPSCS) license and the Stored Value Facilities (SVF) license, the company aims to integrate its AI-driven financial technology directly into the UAE's digital economy. This regulatory expansion allows the firm to deploy specialized merchant acquiring and cross-border account services, aligning with the national "We are UAE 2031" digitalization strategy.
Antom and WorldFirst Regulatory Expansion
The acquisition of the RPSCS license serves as a strategic gateway for Antom, Ant International’s merchant payment and digitization arm, to begin offering merchant acquiring services within the UAE. Antom currently manages over 300 payment methods, connecting merchants to consumers across 200 markets and facilitating transactions in more than 140 currencies. The company intends to deploy AI-integrated services to assist local merchants in managing both in-store and online transactions for international consumers.
Concurrently, the SVF license provides a regulatory foundation for WorldFirst, Ant International’s global account service provider, to deliver digitalized cross-border financial services in the UAE. WorldFirst, which has supported over 1.6 million customers globally, will use this license to expand its suite of international payments, collections, and treasury management tools. These developments follow the existing operation of Alipay+, which continues to function through established partnerships with locally licensed banks and acquirers, independent of these new licenses.
Scaling AI-Native Financial Infrastructure
Ant International is leveraging these licenses to transition from traditional payment processing toward what it describes as "agentic" payment and account solutions. The company, which processes an average of 20 million daily transactions globally, is building its infrastructure on foundation models, security architecture, and a blockchain RTP platform. By securing these UAE licenses, the firm is testing whether its AI-native stack can effectively bridge the gap between local merchant needs and global consumer demand.
The move signals an intent to move beyond simple wallet gateways and into the core of the UAE's financial infrastructure. By integrating AI into merchant acquiring and account services, Ant International is attempting to provide a full-stack solution that includes embedded credit and treasury management. This approach targets the growing demand for automated, intelligent commerce tools that can handle complex, multi-currency, and cross-border requirements in real-time.
Key Takeaways
- Ant International secured both the RPSCS (Category II) and SVF licenses from the Central Bank of the UAE.
- The RPSCS license enables Antom to provide merchant acquiring services and AI-integrated digitization solutions in the UAE.
- The SVF license allows WorldFirst to offer digitalized cross-border financial and account services within the region.
FinanceInsyte's Take
In our view, this regulatory capture is a calculated move to move Ant International from a peripheral service provider to a core infrastructure player in the Middle East. By securing direct licenses rather than relying solely on third-party bank partnerships, the company is reducing its long-term dependency on local intermediaries. This vertical integration, combined with their push into "agentic" AI-driven commerce, suggests they are betting heavily on the UAE becoming a primary hub for automated, cross-border fintech. For institutional players, this signals a more direct competitive presence from Ant International in the regional merchant acquiring and treasury management sectors.
Questions & Answers
How will these new licenses change Ant International's operational model in the UAE?
The licenses allow Antom to act as a merchant acquirer and WorldFirst to provide digitalized cross-border account services directly, moving the company toward a more integrated, first-party service model in the region.
What specific technologies is Ant International deploying alongside these licenses?
The company is deploying AI-integrated services, foundation models, and a blockchain RTP platform to power its "agentic" payment and account solutions for merchants and consumers.
Does this expansion replace the existing Alipay+ operations in the UAE?
No. According to the announcement, Alipay+ will continue to operate via established partnerships with locally licensed banks and acquirers, independent of the newly granted RPSCS and SVF licenses.
What is the intended scale of Antom's service offering in the UAE?
Antom intends to leverage its existing capability of supporting 300+ payment methods and 140+ currencies to help local merchants serve both local and international consumers through AI-integrated in-store and online services.
Source: Ant International
