Bank of China (Hong Kong) (“BOCHK”) and Ant International have entered a strategic partnership to deepen cross-border financial connectivity. Combining BOCHK’s banking strength with Ant International’s fintech and AI capabilities, the two firms plan to explore AI-driven financial services, real-time treasury management and liquidity solutions for global enterprises, while expanding support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Sun Yu, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of BOCHK, said the bank’s expertise spans cross-border payments, treasury management and fintech, adding that the partnership would advance fintech innovation in Hong Kong and strengthen cross-border cooperation across Southeast Asia. He pointed to BOCHK’s experience in personal payment settlements and corporate liquidity management, along with its position as Bank of China’s Southeast Asia regional headquarters, as the foundation for delivering secure, efficient financial services to Ant International and its clients.
Eric Jing, Chairman of Ant International, called BOCHK a trusted collaborator since 2013. Bringing the two companies together, he said, supports a shared goal: seamless, accessible payments for every business and individual. He expects the partnership to strengthen ties between the two ecosystems and improve the experience for shared customers.
Three Ant International units, Alipay+, WorldFirst and Bettr, will work with BOCHK across several fronts. BOCHK will supply Alipay+ with accounts and settlement banking services for cross-border payments across Southeast Asia, sharpening the experience for Alipay+ users while meeting local retailer demand. Alipay+ already connects more than 50 mobile payment partners worldwide, reaching over 2 billion user accounts. Separately, BOCHK and AlipayHK, Ant International’s Hong Kong wallet, will deepen ties: BOCHK customers can already link bank accounts and credit cards to AlipayHK for transfers, payments and top-ups, and joint marketing campaigns are planned.
On corporate liquidity, Bettr will work with BOCHK on blockchain-based solutions, applying distributed ledger technology and tokenisation to build real-time cash flow management and investment tools for Ant International’s global payment needs. The two firms will also pair BOCHK’s foreign exchange pricing capabilities with Ant International’s AI technology to develop more intelligent treasury solutions.
On the SME front, WorldFirst will partner with BOCHK to give SMEs engaged in cross-border trade a fuller suite of fund management tools, supporting Chinese enterprises expanding overseas. WorldFirst already serves businesses across more than 220 countries and regions, offering multi-currency collection and payment, AI-powered foreign exchange services, treasury management and compliance support.
BOCHK is one of three note-issuing banks in Hong Kong and the territory’s sole clearing bank for RMB business, with a presence spanning the Greater Bay Area and a growing footprint in Southeast Asia. Ant International runs a global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology platform serving financial institutions and merchants across markets.
Digital Trade Outlook’s View: Ant International
The partnership signals deepening convergence between correspondent banking and fintech infrastructure in Asia’s cross-border payments corridor. Bettr and BOCHK’s blockchain and tokenisation work points to real-money testing of distributed ledger technology in treasury operations, not just pilots. As Alipay+ and WorldFirst extend their reach across Southeast Asia, expect faster adoption of AI-powered FX and liquidity tools among SMEs previously shut out of efficient cross-border trade financing.
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