BENEFIT and Ant International have signed a MoU to introduce cross-border QR payments between Bahrain’s BENEFIT QR scheme and Ant International’s Alipay+ global wallet gateway in 2026.
The partnership will allow over 15,000 Bahraini merchants to accept cross-border QR payments from Alipay+ partners, which currently connect more than 1.8 billion user accounts across 40 digital payment partners to over 150 million merchants in more than 100 markets.
The parties will also explore outbound payment capabilities, enabling Bahraini consumers to use local payment methods internationally through the BENEFIT network.
The collaboration includes the exchange of technical expertise and knowledge, as well as joint initiatives to encourage adoption of fintech solutions.
Abdulwahed AlJanahi, Chief Executive of BENEFIT, said:
“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.”
Pietro Candela, General Manager of EMEA for Alipay+, added:
“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.”
Featured image credit: Ant International
