KASIKORNBANK (KBank) and Ant International have entered into a strategic collaboration aimed at building an integrated financial infrastructure designed to deliver faster, more reliable, and scalable cross-border payment experiences.
Under a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the partnership will combine KBank’s regulated financial capabilities with Ant International’s AI-driven financial technology solutions to support real-time, 24/7 cross-border USD transactions.
The initiative will utilize Blockchain Deposit Accounts from Kinexys by J.P. Morgan, the blockchain-focused business unit of J.P. Morgan Payments. Through this infrastructure, the collaboration aims to significantly improve transaction speed, liquidity movement, and operational continuity for international payments.
In addition to enabling real-time liquidity management, KBank and Ant International plan to jointly develop end-to-end payment solutions spanning payment acceptance, clearing, and settlement, subject to all necessary legal and regulatory approvals.
The partnership is expected to strengthen Ant International’s inbound and outbound transaction settlement efficiency, ultimately helping improve cash flow management for merchants using its services.
This latest initiative further expands the existing relationship between the two companies. Through Alipay+, Ant International’s global digital wallet gateway, KBank’s KPLUS mobile banking app is already connected to an ecosystem of over 150 million merchants and 1.8 billion consumer accounts worldwide. KPLUS is also increasingly being adopted as a payment option on Google Pay for Thai merchants through integration with Antom, Ant International’s merchant payment platform.
Dr. Karin Boonlertvanich, Executive Vice President of KBank, emphasized the importance of modernizing global financial infrastructure.
“This collaboration addresses a fundamental limitation in today’s cross-border financial systems, where liquidity movement remains constrained by fragmented infrastructure. By integrating blockchain with regulated financial systems, we are enabling a more continuous, transparent, and scalable flow of funds between global networks and local economies.”
Meanwhile, Kelvin Li, General Manager of Platform Tech and Senior Vice President at Ant International, highlighted the growing role of emerging technologies in global commerce.
“Across emerging markets, industry leaders like KBank are preparing communities for a more interconnected global economy with broader and more secure application of AI and blockchain technology. We are thrilled to support KBank with such fintech solutions to empower Thai merchants — especially small businesses — with more efficient payment tools to thrive globally.”
The collaboration reflects both companies’ commitment to advancing integrated, scalable, and technology-driven cross-border financial systems that can support the growing demands of international trade and commerce.
