The BENEFIT scheme and Ant International have collaborated to introduce cross-border QR payment capabilities, facilitating transactions between Bahrain’s payment ecosystem and global regions through Ant International’s Alipay+ platform.
This partnership seeks to enhance the inclusivity of digital payments in Bahrain while driving financial integration. Both companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly explore and implement cross-border payment solutions that benefit local merchants and customers.
Alipay+ Services in Bahrain
Bahraini businesses can now process cross-border QR payments from international Alipay+ partners, reaching an extensive network that encompasses 1.8 billion user accounts across 40 digital payment partners and 150 million merchants in 100 countries.
The scope of the collaboration extends beyond inbound transactions to potential outbound features via Alipay+. This would enable Bahrain residents to use their preferred local payment methods when traveling or conducting business overseas, leveraging the BENEFIT network that links all banks in the country. The companies will work on developing a comprehensive international payments framework to support ongoing technological advancements.
The partnership is seen as an important step towards expanding BENEFIT’s global reach and reinforcing Bahrain’s status as a fintech hub. It supports the vision of creating a seamless payment infrastructure that bridges local and international markets while ensuring secure transactions for users. This initiative aligns with both national and global trends in financial technology.
Ant International expressed optimism about the partnership, stating its aim to assist all-sized Bahraini merchants in accepting simple international payments and allowing BENEFIT customers to access Alipay+ services across borders soon. The collaboration follows Ant International’s recent establishment of a Middle East office to strengthen regional partnerships. Currently, Alipay+ is integrated into 10 national QR payment schemes in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Cambodia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
