BANGKOK, 16 October 2025 — Ant International’s WorldFirst, an all-in-one digital cross-border payment and treasury service for global businesses, has officially launched in Thailand at its Global Voyage Bangkok event. The platform aims to empower Thai small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with secure, efficient international payment tools to support their global expansion.
Delivered in partnership with 2C2P and its subsidiary 2C2P Plus, both licensed by the Bank of Thailand, WorldFirst’s entry into the market marks a significant step in advancing digital trade capabilities for local exporters and merchants.
Strengthening Thailand’s Digital Trade Ecosystem
The Going Global: Seizing the Next Great Opportunity in Digital Trade report by Deloitte and WorldFirst identifies Thailand as a high-potential market for digital trade growth. SMEs account for 63.1% of the country’s exporters and are expected to play a crucial role in achieving the government’s 5–7% export growth target by 2025.
Amid growing demand for innovative financial services, Thailand continues to position itself as a rising manufacturing hub in ASEAN. WorldFirst’s research shows Thai merchants are increasingly focused on multi-currency management, global sourcing, and new market entry solutions, areas central to the company’s product offering.
Empowering SMEs with Unified Global Accounts
During its beta phase in early 2025, thousands of Thai SMEs registered for WorldFirst’s services. The platform offers a World Account, which enables merchants to manage international payments, collections, foreign exchange conversion, and treasury functions within a single interface.
Merchants can collect payments in Thai baht and over 20 other currencies, and make payments in more than 100 currencies to 200+ countries and regions. To strengthen the China–Thailand trade corridor, WorldFirst also provides a “Pay to China” solution, allowing instant transfers to platforms such as 1688 and Alipay.
The service extends beyond payments through an integrated ecosystem that connects Thai sellers to 130+ global marketplaces, including Amazon and Walmart, and more than 300 partners in logistics, taxation, and marketing.
AI-Driven, Customer-Focused Innovation
“Thailand’s digital economy is thriving, yet cross-border payments remain complex,” said Clara Shi, Vice President of Ant International and CEO of WorldFirst. “We are here to help change that. WorldFirst empowers Thai businesses with global account services to expand internationally, boost revenue, and streamline operations—all while deepening our commitment across Southeast Asia.”
Shi added that artificial intelligence underpins the platform’s operations, enhancing risk management, processing efficiency, and customer responsiveness for Thai SMEs.
Partner Endorsements and Early Success
At the launch, Chaiwat Theerasong, CEO of Loyally Active LLC, an Amazon seller, said the platform had transformed his business operations.
“Speed and reliability in payments are crucial. Since switching to WorldFirst’s World Account, I’ve seen lower exchange costs, faster collections, and improved efficiency,” he said.
Vutthisak Kanchanaporn, Director of the Office of Digital Commerce Market under Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), attended the launch alongside representatives from over 100 partners. The event underscored a shared goal to build a digitally empowered SME ecosystem in Thailand.
Expanding Presence Across Asia Pacific
The Thailand launch further extends WorldFirst’s Asia Pacific footprint, with existing operations in China, Hong Kong SAR, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. The company said it will continue investing in regional infrastructure and partnerships to make global trade more accessible and inclusive for businesses of all sizes.
