BENEFIT and Ant International Partner to Launch Alipay+ in Bahrain to Achieve Global E-Wallet Connectivity
24.11.2025 14:04:00 EET | Business Wire | Press release
BENEFIT, the Bahraini innovator and a leading company in fintech and electronic financial transactions service, and Ant International, a leading global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology provider, headquartered in Singapore, have partnered to launch cross-border QR payments between Bahrain’s BENEFIT QR payment scheme and Ant International’s global wallet gateway, Alipay+, during 2026 to support the transition toward a more inclusive digital payments ecosystem.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251124405672/en/
(L-R): Hessa Husain, Deputy Chief Executive - Bahrain Credit Reference Bureau & Data Services at BENEFIT; Abdulwahed AlJanahi, Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Pietro Candela, General Manager of EMEA at Alipay+; and Yousif Al Nefaie, Deputy Chief Executive - Business Development & Services at BENEFIT.
By signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), both parties will explore and develop innovative cross-border payment solutions between Bahrain and global markets to foster greater financial integration. They will also aim to develop a comprehensive cross-border payment framework that fosters innovation and aligns with global fintech advancements.
Through this collaboration, more than 15,000 of Bahrain’s merchants will be able to accept cross-border QR payments from Alipay+ international payment partners. Alipay+ currently connects more than 1.8 billion user accounts across from over 40 digital payment partners to more than 150 million merchants in over 100 markets.
In addition to enabling inbound cross-border payments, both parties will also explore the introduction of outbound payment capabilities through the Alipay+ solution in the near future. This will allow Bahraini consumers to use their preferred local payment methods internationally via the BENEFIT network, which connects every bank in the country, to make seamless digital payments at millions of Alipay+ enabled merchants abroad.
The collaboration further encompasses knowledge and technical expertise exchange, as well as joint marketing initiatives designed to raise awareness and promote the adoption of fintech solutions among individuals and businesses.
Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, Chief Executive of BENEFIT, stated: “This partnership reflects BENEFIT’s strategic vision to expand its global presence and reinforce Bahrain’s position as a leading regional hub for fintech and advanced digital payment solutions. Our collaboration with Ant International will contribute to building an advanced infrastructure that strengthens the link between local and international markets, providing users with secure, seamless, and world-class payment experience. This initiative represents a pivotal step toward developing innovative financial solutions that enhance cross-border payments and accelerate digital transformation within the financial sector. It further cements BENEFIT’s role as a strategic partner in shaping a smarter and more sustainable future for Bahrain’s financial ecosystem, in line with the Kingdom’s vision of a knowledge-based digital economy.”
Mr. AlJanahi added: “This collaboration is part of BENEFIT’s broader strategy to establish an effective bridge connecting national payment systems with leading international platforms, in alignment with global fintech developments. It strengthens Bahrain’s capacity to attract high-value investments and strategic partnerships that contribute positively to the national economy.”
Mr. Pietro Candela, General Manager of EMEA for Alipay+, commented: “We are honoured to collaborate with BENEFIT, one of the Middle East’s foremost fintech and digital payments institutions, to bring the innovative Alipay+ solution to Bahraini businesses. Together we aim to empower local merchants of all sizes to accept seamless payments from international travellers that Alipay+ serves with its partner wallets, while also working towards enabling BENEFIT customers to access our services in international markets in the future.”
The upcoming launch of Alipay+ in Bahrain builds upon Ant International’s recent milestones in the Middle East this year, including the opening of Ant International’s first Middle East office in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to expand its partnerships in the region.
In addition to Bahrain, Alipay+ is also integrated into 10 national QR payment schemes in countries including Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Cambodia, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
About BENEFIT
BENEFIT was established in 1997 and is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) as an ancillary service provider to the Kingdom’s financial services industry. BENEFIT is owned by Banks in Bahrain, regulated by the CBB, to provide innovative Payment Capabilities, Information Management Solutions, and Business Process Outsourcing Services across different sectors in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Region.
BENEFIT’s range of services – supported by GCCNet in countries within the region – include operating of Automated Teller Machines (ATM), Point of Sale (POS), GCCNet, The GCCNet Dispute Management System, Credit Reference Bureau (CRB), Telecom Bill Payment (Tele BP), Direct Debit (DD), Payment Gateway (PG), Bahrain Cheque Truncation System (BCTS), Amex Cards withdrawal, eCheque, EFTs, national eWallet (BenefitPay) and national eKYC Platform for the financial sectors, Bahrain Electronic Cheque, Wages Protection System, and Trust Services for digital signatures.
About Ant International
With headquarters in Singapore and main operations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, Ant International is a leading global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology provider. Through collaboration across the private and public sectors, our unified techfin platform supports financial institutions and merchants of all sizes to achieve inclusive growth through a comprehensive range of cutting-edge digital payment and financial services solutions. To learn more, please visit https://www.ant-intl.com/
About Alipay+
Ant International's Alipay+ is a global wallet gateway with cross-border payment and digitisation services that help connect global merchants to consumers. Consumers enjoy seamless payments, a broad choice of deals and the convenience of digital services using their preferred payment app/e-wallet while travelling abroad. Many small and medium-sized businesses already use Alipay+ digital tools to enhance efficiency and achieve omni-channel growth. To learn more, please visit https://www.alipayplus.com/
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251124405672/en/
Contacts
Media contact:
PR@Ant-Intl.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
www.businesswire.com
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Enry’s Island Unveils “Enry’s Island Adventures”: Venture Capital Becomes a Videogame and Launches the “Strap” Movement on Kickstarter3.4.2026 10:47:00 EEST | Press release
Enry’s Island SpA (WBAG: EIOS), the world’s first publicly traded Venture Builder, today announced the upcoming Kickstarter launch of Enry’s Island Adventures (EIA), developed by its New York-based portfolio company, Enry’s Island Adventures LLC. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260402548535/en/ The game is designed to make venture capital accessible to new generations, transforming startup creation into an engaging and social gaming experience. After three years of R&D, EIA introduces a "bleisure" model (business + leisure): players learn to launch and manage startups through gameplay that includes real business KPIs, a customizable and evolving personal island, synchronous and asynchronous multiplayer modes, social events, and community-driven seasonal missions. The “VC revolution”: teaching and democratizing through play "I agree with Elon Musk that the best way to teach is through a video game, and this is
SES Announces Results of the Annual General Meeting2.4.2026 17:49:00 EEST | Press release
SES (the “Company”) held the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of Shareholders today in Betzdorf, Luxembourg. Following the recommendations made by the Board of Directors of SES, the shareholders have voted in favor of all resolutions, including the Company’s 2025 annual accounts and the proposed annual dividend of EUR 0.50 per A-share (EUR 0.20 per B-share). The total dividend amount comprises the interim dividend of EUR 0.25 per A-share (EUR 0.10 per B-share), which has already been paid to shareholders on October 16, 2025. The final dividend of EUR 0.25 per A-share (EUR 0.10 per B-share) will be paid to shareholders on April 16, 2026. “I would like to sincerely thank our shareholders for their active engagement, visionary support and continued confidence in SES’ strategy,” said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES. “The outcomes of today’s AGM underscore our shared commitment to a bold multi-orbit approach, with Medium Earth Orbit as the strategic backbone of a dynamically evolving global interco
Forrester: Three Years Into GenAI, Enterprises Are Still Chasing Its True Transformative Value2.4.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
According to Forrester’s (Nasdaq: FORR) latest report, Accelerate Your AI Voyage, most enterprises are struggling to turn growing AI adoption and investment into measurable business impact. One of the key factors holding businesses back is low artificial intelligence quotient (AIQ) — Forrester’s measure of AI aptitude — with many employees lacking a clear understanding of how to use AI. Other barriers include an overemphasis on productivity-focused use cases, difficulty measuring impact, and siloed adoption within individual functions. While these challenges can leave firms frozen in doubt or indecision, the wait-and-see approach to AI adoption is no longer viable. To unlock AI’s full potential, organizations need to focus on four key areas: Define the business outcomes and success metrics for what they want AI to achieve; identify specific use cases for AI deployment aligned to those business outcomes; establish a structured runway to plan, test, and strategically time the deployment
Andersen Consulting Adds Multiplica2.4.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
Andersen Consulting enters into a Collaboration Agreement with Multiplica, a digital consulting firm that helps organizations design, build, and scale impactful digital experiences. Founded in Spain with a presence in Latin America and the U.S., Multiplica focuses on user research and discovery, customer experience research, digital strategy, data modeling and analysis, report automation and data visualization, conversion rate optimization, product design, and user experience design. The firm helps organizations accelerate digital transformation by building digital capabilities, teams, and assets that advance expertise across digital products, consulting, and talent development. Multiplica enables clients to forecast emerging trends in digital experience and transform their businesses through enhanced digital channels and customer engagement. “Collaborating with Andersen Consulting represents an exciting opportunity to extend our reach and impact,” said David Boronat, CEO of Multiplica
Brightfin Unifies Brand Following Proven Optics Merger, Delivering a New Standard for Technology Cost Optimization2.4.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
Brightfin today announced that, following its merger with Proven Optics, the combined company will operate under a single brand: Brightfin. The unified company brings together deep expertise in Technology Expense Management (TEM) and IT Financial Management (ITFM) to help organizations better understand, manage, and reduce total technology spend. Technology spending will exceed $6 Trillion this year, and for most organizations, it remains one of the least understood. CIOs can tell you what they’re spending. Far fewer can tell you whether it’s working. “Over the past several months, we’ve brought these two businesses together around a shared purpose: help enterprise businesses better understand and optimize their technology spend,” said Joel Martins, CEO of Brightfin. “What we are seeing now is a shift. Visibility alone isn’t enough. Teams need to be able to act, tied to real financial outcomes. See Clearly. Spend Better. That is our north star, and that is what our platform is built to
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom