Abdul Latif Jameel Finance, a leading financial services company in Saudi Arabia, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ant International a Singapore-based global digital payment and fintech provider. The two companies will work together to explore new opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s growing financial technology sector.
According to Ant International, this partnership aims to support the growth of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Saudi Arabia by offering advanced digital financial services.
Both companies plan to develop a variety of new digital financial solutions for businesses and consumers in the Kingdom. One of the main areas of focus will be using WorldFirst, Ant International’s digital cross-border payment and treasury service, to help Abdul Latif Jameel Finance improve its digital systems across its financial and consumer services.
They will also collaborate on cross-border payment solutions using Alipay+, Ant International’s global mobile payment network, to help Saudi merchants expand locally and internationally. Additionally both companies plan to explore opportunities in embedded finance by combining Abdul Latif Jameel Finance’s expertise with Ant International’s digital technologies.
Dr. Khalid Alsharif, CEO of Abdul Latif Jameel Finance, said: “Our collaboration with Ant International represents an important step toward realizing our vision of enabling innovative and more inclusive financial solutions in Saudi Arabia. As the fintech ecosystem continues to evolve, we remain committed to contributing to the advancement of the financial sector, in line with Vision 2030.”
Leiming Chen, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer of Ant International, said: “The MoU is another important step in Ant International’s journey to build cross-sector partnerships with regional industry leaders in supporting Saudi Arabia’s digital economy agenda.”
“WorldFirst and Ant International are honoured to support the mission of Abdul Latif Jameel Finance to provide diversified financial and digital services for MSMEs in the Middle East,” said Clara Shi, CEO of WorldFirst. “Joining our innovative fintech capabilities with Abdul Latif Jameel Finance’s expertise and ecosystem, we look forward to contributing to regional trade and commerce as Saudi Arabia embraces an exciting digital transformation.”
Ant International is headquartered in Singapore and operates across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. The company offers global wallet gateways, payment services for merchants, unified account solutions, and embedded finance through its main brands — Alipay+, Antom, WorldFirst, and Bettr.
In 2025, Ant International opened its first Middle East office in Riyadh. The company also plans to integrate Alipay+ with Saudi Arabia’s national payment system, mada, in 2026 to strengthen its presence in the region.
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