By BUDDY JEWEL | JUNE 12, 2025
Ant International, the overseas arm of Ant Group, is preparing to roll out stablecoin services in key Asian financial centres. The initiative signals a major shift in strategy for one of the world’s largest digital payment firms.
The company plans to apply for a stablecoin issuer license in Hong Kong as early as August, once the new Stablecoins Ordinance comes into effect. Similar applications are underway in Singapore and Luxembourg, highlighting a multi-jurisdictional push.
Ant’s Whale platform already processes one-third of its $1 trillion in annual transactions. Equipped with privacy-preserving tech, it supports tokenized assets for major global banks and institutions.
To boost its ecosystem, Ant International has partnered with over 10 major banks, including HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, BNP Paribas, and Standard Chartered. A new deal with Deutsche Bank will help scale treasury and payment operations.
With a newly independent board structure, Ant International is positioning for a potential IPO in Hong Kong. Early projections value the firm between $8 billion and $24 billion.