Ant International’s WorldFirst Launches in Thailand to Offer Unified Global Account Service for Thai SMEs
Ant International’s WorldFirst, an all-in-one digital cross-border payment and treasury account service for global businesses, announced the official launch in Thailand at its Bangkok Global Voyage event. It will provide Thai SMEs with efficient and secure global account service to simplify international payments and fuel their expansion. The offerings are delivered through the partnership with 2C2P and its subsidiary 2C2P Plus, a Southeast Asia-based payments provider licensed by the Bank of Thailand.
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WorldFirst CEO Clara Shi kicks off WorldFirst’s official launch in Thailand
The Going-Global: Seizing the Next Great Opportunity in Digital Trade report (Deloitte & WorldFirst) identifies Thailand as a High-Potential Market with strong digital trade growth. This outlook is driven by its SMEs, which represent 63.1% of all exporters and are central to achieving 5-7% export growth by 2025. In this context, the Thai government is promoting a tech-forward ecosystem to equip local businesses with digitalised tools for global expansion.
There is stimulating demand for innovative financial services across the country, further establishing Thailand as a rising manufacturing hub in ASEAN. WorldFirst finds Thai merchants actively pursuing multi-currency management, global sourcing, and new market entry solutions—now key priorities for their growth.
Unlocking global growth with a unified global account
According to WorldFirst, thousands of Thai SMEs have registered for its services since 2025 during the beta phase. The company has collaborated closely with many of local merchants to gather feedback and continuously refine its offerings to better meet their evolving needs. WorldFirst’s service portfolio currently includes:
- World Account: A unified global account for international payments, collections, FX conversion, and treasury management. Thai Merchants can apply for the World Account online in minutes to collect in Thai Baht and 20+ other currencies, simplifying transactions with security.
- Global Sourcing Solutions: Thai merchants sourcing from international suppliers can make payments in over 100 currencies to 200+ countries and regions through World Account. To further support the growing China-Thailand trade corridor, they also gain access to "Pay to China" solutions, enabling efficient payment with Chinese suppliers through instant transfers to 1688 and Alipay.
- Robust Ecosystem Partnership: WorldFirst simplifies global commerce by connecting Thai merchants to 130+ marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart and a network of over 300 partners for logistics, taxes, marketing and other trade service suppliers. This integrated ecosystem provides a comprehensive solution for businesses expanding into new international markets.
The product value is reflected in client experience. Mr. Chaiwat Theerasong, CEO of Loyally Active LLC, shares his experience: "As an Amazon seller, speed and reliability in payments are crucial. Since switching to WorldFirst’s World Account, the difference has been clear—lower exchange costs, timely collections through a user-friendly interface, and a support team that truly understands real-world seller challenges. Now I can focus more on growing my sales."
“Thailand's digital economy is thriving, yet cross-border payments remain complex. We are here to help change that. WorldFirst empowers Thai businesses with global account service to expand globally, boost revenue, and streamline operations—all while deepening our investment and commitment across Southeast Asia.” said Clara SHI, vice president of Ant International and CEO of WorldFirst.
At the heart of WorldFirst's global account service is its strategic application of artificial intelligence, which enables a more secure and streamlined experience for Thai SMEs. By embedding AI across its technology capabilities, WorldFirst strengthens risk control, boosts processing efficiency, and delivers a more responsive customer experience.
Mr. Vutthisak Kanchanaporn, Director of the Office of Digital Commerce Market, Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce, alongside representatives from over 100 local partners, attended WorldFirst’s Global Voyage Bangkok event. The gathering served as a collaborative step toward building a more digitalized ecosystem for Thai SMEs.
The launch also expands WorldFirst’s investment in Asia Pacific where its services are available to support businesses in China, Hong Kong SAR, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
About WorldFirst
WorldFirst offers cross-border payments and treasury services through its global business account, empowering growth for SMEs in e-commerce, trade, and the broad platform economy. WorldFirst simplifies key financial operations, including international payments, collections, currency conversions, and treasury management, all in a one-stop account. Leveraging the technological strengths of its parent company Ant International, WorldFirst delivers industry-leading transaction security and reliability. WorldFirst has supported over 1.2 million customers, enabling payments in 100+ currencies across more than 210 countries and regions. Learn more about WorldFirst at https://www.worldfirst.com.
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