WorldFirst, a digital payment and financial services provider for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engaged in cross-border trade, has revealed plans to extend its e-commerce digital finance solutions to additional markets in Southeast Asia in 2023 and 2024.
This expansion aims to assist online sellers in achieving growth through secure, efficient, and reliable cross-border payment and financial services, and to facilitate their access to various global marketplaces.
The company, which has already established a presence in China, Singapore, and other regions, intends to launch these solutions in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia. The focus is on enabling SMEs to enhance their global selling capabilities, streamline management, and foster growth.
Key features of the WorldFirst offerings include the World Account, which allows SMEs to open a multi-currency account quickly, supporting 42 currencies and providing access to over 200 global markets.
For management, WorldFirst offers a unified portal to help SMEs efficiently handle operations across various countries and marketplaces. This feature is particularly beneficial during the critical scaling-up phase, allowing for customised management of stores, e-marketplaces, and entities.
In terms of growth, WorldFirst’s Global Voyage programme, initiated in 2022, offers streamlined store opening services across global marketplaces. This is bolstered by partnerships with 28 e-commerce platforms, reducing set-up time for sellers to within 24 hours.
Additionally, sellers can access a range of professional services to enhance their growth, including online advertising, logistics, and website development.
WorldFirst has also partnered with banks and financial institutions, including eight Globally Systemically Important Banks, to ensure client fund safety. This approach has established the company as a leader in fraud prevention in the industry.
“Building on our global fintech capabilities and strong success in China, Singapore and other markets, we are confident our secure and fast cross-border payment and e-commerce enablement services can help small businesses in Southeast Asia extend their international footprint,”
said Clara Shi, CEO of WorldFirst and Vice President of Ant Group.