Ant International has received two payments licences from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE).

The first is a Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes (RPSCS) Category II licence.

It is a step towards Antom, Ant International’s merchant payment and digitisation services provider, offering merchant acquiring in the UAE.

The second is a Stored Value Facilities (SVF) licence. It allows WorldFirst, the company’s global account service provider, to offer cross-border financial services in the country.

The CBUAE granted in-principle approval for both licences in August 2025. This approval was required before the full licences could be issued.

According to the company, Antom supports more than 300 payment methods and connects merchants with consumers in over 200 markets.

The company said that once Antom launches in the UAE, its services will help local merchants serve local and international customers, both in-store and online.

“In accordance with the applicable CBUAE regulatory framework, we look forward to launching AI-powered global payment and account solutions to make cross-border payments and financial management more accessible,”

said Leiming Chen, Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Ant International.

Separately, local merchants can already accept cross-border payments from digital wallet users through Alipay+, Ant International’s wallet gateway.

Alipay+ continues to operate through partnerships with locally licensed banks and acquirers. It does not rely on the new licences.

Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Hong Kong, based on image by design25boss via Magnific.