Ant International Secures Two UAE Payments Licences

Ant International has received two payments licences from the Central Bank of the UAE, paving the way for it to expand its merchant acquiring and cross-border financial services in the country.

The first is a Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes Category II licence, which will support the planned launch of merchant payment and digitisation provider Antom in the UAE. Antom offers access to more than 300 payment methods and connects merchants with consumers across more than 200 markets, according to the company.

The second is a Stored Value Facilities licence for WorldFirst, Ant International’s global account services provider. The licence will allow WorldFirst to offer cross-border financial services in the UAE.

The Central Bank granted in-principle approval for both licences in August 2025, before issuing the full approvals.

Ant International said Antom will help UAE merchants serve local and international customers online and in stores once launched. Leiming Chen, the company’s chief sustainability officer and senior vice president, said the business plans to offer AI-powered global payment and account solutions under the UAE’s regulatory framework.

The new licences are separate from Alipay+, which already enables local merchants to accept payments from international digital wallet users through partnerships with locally licensed banks and acquirers.

Source: Fintech News UAE