Ant International’s WorldFirst has obtained a Class A Money Services Business license from Bank Negara Malaysia, enabling the company to provide international payment and foreign currency receipt services in the country.
The license permits WorldFirst to serve small and medium-sized enterprises conducting cross-border trade operations.
The approval expands WorldFirst’s regulatory portfolio to more than 60 licenses across Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania.
WorldFirst operates a platform that combines payments, foreign exchange conversion, and treasury services for businesses.
The company’s World Account product enables businesses to collect payments from over 130 marketplaces, including Amazon and Walmart, while managing treasury operations through a single platform.
The service also provides international payment tools for buyers. WorldFirst has established operations in Malaysia to deliver support to SMEs in the country. The company serves more than 1.2 million SMEs worldwide.
WorldFirst recently introduced the World Card with Mastercard in select markets to assist businesses with international spending management.
Malaysia’s expansion forms part of Ant International’s strategy in the country, which includes a Digital Business Centre focused on developing technology talent for innovation purposes.
A joint report by Deloitte and WorldFirst identifies Malaysia as a high-potential digital trade market. The report projects e-commerce gross merchandise value will reach US$16 billion by 2025.
Clara Shi, Vice President of Ant International and CEO of WorldFirst, described the license as a milestone in the company’s Southeast Asia commitment.
The license enables WorldFirst to provide cross-border financial services to Southeast Asian SMEs while contributing to the region’s digital ecosystem.
The Malaysian license represents WorldFirst’s continued expansion in Southeast Asia’s growing digital commerce market. The company aims to support SMEs navigating international trade through its platform services.
