Ant International has teamed up with Capital A, the parent company of AirAsia, to initiate a strategic partnership aimed at revamping digital payments, financial technologies, and promoting sustainability.
This collaboration will see the integration of local payment methods and the provision of payment orchestration services across Capital A’s platforms, alongside efforts to boost business growth through digital marketing and sponsorships.
The partnership spans across various initiatives, including the utilisation of Ant International’s Alipay+ for cross-border payments, and the exploration of new payment solutions within AirAsia’s travel platform, AirAsia MOVE, and its fintech app, BigPay. Notably, AirAsia MOVE will integrate Alipay+ e-wallets as a payment option, enhancing the payment experience for users.
Furthermore, this alliance will allow BigPay’s 1.5 million users to make seamless payments internationally, leveraging Alipay+’s advanced wallet technologies. AirAsia, in particular, will benefit from Ant International’s Airline Controller solution to improve payment efficiencies across online, offline, and in-flight transactions.
Capital A, with its diverse portfolio including AirAsia Aviation Group, AirAsia MOVE, and BigPay, aims to leverage this partnership to serve its extensive customer base of over 700 million people in the region more effectively.
The partnership also commits to fostering sustainability by promoting digital inclusion, nurturing digital talents, and supporting sustainable travel initiatives. This move comes at a time when the global tourism sector is witnessing a robust recovery, with international tourism receipts nearing pre-pandemic levels, indicating a resilient market.
Ant International’s Alipay+ service, which connects millions of merchants to over 1.5 billion consumer accounts worldwide, aims to facilitate global travel payments.
Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A said,
“We’re thrilled to embark on this transformative journey with Ant International. Their global recognition as a financial technology powerhouse, coupled with their unparalleled expertise, is poised to propel rapid growth for our fintech venture BigPay and our online travel app (OTA) AirAsia MOVE.
Both entities are dedicated to agile expansion, and this partnership promises to accelerate our collective mission of providing seamless financial services and affordable travel experiences to our customers worldwide.”
Yang Peng, CEO of Ant International said,
“By leveraging Ant International’s innovative digital technology solutions and Capital A’s robust global ecosystem, we can bring more seamless services and diversified growth pathways for consumers and businesses in the region and beyond.
Ant International is dedicated to building a vibrant, sustainable future digital economy with our technology and cross-sector expertise.”