2026.7.6
On July 1, Ant International officially established its Global Development Centre (GDC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The centre will leverage local resources and increase investment to develop leading products and services for Malaysian clients, especially micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), helping them harness emerging technologies in the AI era to drive growth and support Malaysia's digital economy blueprint. Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim attended the launch ceremony. In 2024, Ant International announced the establishment of a digital business centre in Kuala Lumpur with plans to recruit young talent. Over the past two years, the centre has grown to approximately 1,500 employees, with more than half in new technology roles, including R&D, development, product and design, as well as data technology and risk management. Among the technology innovation roles, about half are fresh graduates from over 30 universities and colleges across Malaysia. With the upgrade to a Global Development Centre, Ant International will continue to deepen collaboration with the Malaysian government and local universities, including exploring a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia. Through hackathons, professional training, and customised programmes, both sides will jointly cultivate more FinAI talent and build a new workforce that possesses a global perspective while understanding the local market.
(From left: Secretary-General of the Ministry of Digital of Malaysia Fabian Bigar, Minister of Higher Education of Malaysia Dato' Seri Zambry Abd Kadir, Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Ant Group CEO Eric Jing, Ant International CEO Yang Peng)
In his address at the launch ceremony, Ant Group CEO Eric Jing said: "With the foresight of its leadership and a vibrant business and technology community, Malaysia is advancing towards becoming a regional and even global leader in digitalisation and AI innovation. Over the next six to twelve months, the agentic AI revolution will unfold in full force, bringing about a transformation in the business sector. We must prepare for this starting now, ensuring it drives both business growth and social progress. Ant has many deep and long-term partners in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. With the unveiling of the Ant International Global Development Centre, we will continue to deeply participate in Malaysia's and the region's digitalisation journey, working with more local talent to bring about small but beautiful changes to the world."
Ant International CEO Yang Peng said: "Ant International's development has always been guided by our '6T' sustainable development strategy — enabling global Travel, empowering global Trade, fostering Thriving growth, driving Technology innovation, cultivating digital Talent, and building Trusted digital ecosystems. This closely aligns with Malaysia's policy goals of driving digital transformation and energising micro and small enterprises. We are committed to long-term investment in nurturing world-class innovative talent and delivering global agentic business solutions from Malaysia."
"We will continue to increase our investment in technology, innovation, and talent development in Malaysia. By building a smarter, safer, and more inclusive digital service ecosystem, we aim to help Malaysia realise its long-term digital economy vision and provide proven best practices for Southeast Asia and the world at large."
Since the early days of Ant's globalisation strategy, Malaysia has been a key anchor in its overseas expansion. Since entering the Malaysian market in 2014, Ant has collaborated with local partners to foster a vibrant fintech community, making digital payments more accessible for Malaysian consumers while creating growth opportunities for local businesses, especially MSMEs, through digital and inclusive financial services.
2017, Ant formed a joint venture with CIMB Group Holdings Berhad and Touch 'n Go (TNG), the country's leading transport card company, to establish TNG Digital (TNGD). The tripartite partnership launched Touch 'n Go eWallet, now the largest e-wallet in Malaysia, providing local consumers with secure and convenient mobile payment and financial services.
As Ant's globalisation deepens, its cross-border payment gateway Alipay+, merchant payment and digitalisation service Antom, WorldFirst, and inclusive finance platform Bettr have formed comprehensive, in-depth strategic collaborations with Malaysian partners, including PayNet (the national payment system of Malaysia) and AirAsia, Asia's largest low-cost carrier.
Minister of Higher Education of Malaysia Dato' Seri Zambry Abd Kadir, representatives from Malaysian universities, and key local partners of Ant International also attended the launch ceremony.
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蚂蚁国际 Ant International
