DBS and Ant International have agreed to deepen their strategic partnership to explore innovative payments, digitalisation, and fintech solutions aimed at delivering more inclusive services for regional businesses and consumers. The collaboration will leverage DBS’ digital banking expertise and Ant International’s advanced technologies, including AI and blockchain, to scale cross-border payments, strengthen connectivity, and foster innovation in the financial ecosystem.
The agreement was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Singapore Fintech Festival 2025, committing key business units—Alipay+, Antom, WorldFirst, and Bettr Platform Tech—to work together across several strategic areas. DBS PayLah! will join the Alipay+ payments ecosystem, enabling over three million users to make QR code payments to more than 150 million merchants in over 100 markets. The two firms are also exploring a bank-to-wallet solution to enable near-instant remittances between DBS customers and 1.8 billion Alipay+ accounts, using ISO 20022 messaging and the SWIFT network.
For small and medium enterprises (SMEs), DBS will collaborate with Antom to advance digital transformation initiatives, including the Model Context Protocol (MCP)-based Agentic Payment solution, which integrates alternative payment methods, payment mandates, and AI capabilities. DBS will also work with WorldFirst to scale same-day and near-instant cross-border payments for SME clients. Beyond payments, both organisations aim to foster innovation in the regional fintech ecosystem, including initiatives around tokenised deposits.
Peng Yang, CEO of Ant International, said the partnership builds on a decade of collaboration, aiming to enhance inclusive growth and nurture local innovation. Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS, highlighted that combining their expertise can accelerate future-ready solutions and reimagine the financial landscape to benefit businesses and consumers alike.
Through this expanded collaboration, DBS and Ant International aim to create a more efficient, inclusive, and digitally empowered financial ecosystem across the region.
