BENEFIT and Ant International Partner to Launch Alipay+ in Bahrain to Achieve Global E-Wallet Connectivity

MANAMA, Bahrain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 24, 2025--

BENEFIT, the Bahraini innovator and a leading company in fintech and electronic financial transactions service, and Ant International, a leading global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology provider, headquartered in Singapore, have partnered to launch cross-border QR payments between Bahrain’s BENEFIT QR payment scheme and Ant International’s global wallet gateway, Alipay+, during 2026 to support the transition toward a more inclusive digital payments ecosystem.

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By signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), both parties will explore and develop innovative cross-border payment solutions between Bahrain and global markets to foster greater financial integration. They will also aim to develop a comprehensive cross-border payment framework that fosters innovation and aligns with global fintech advancements.

Through this collaboration, more than 15,000 of Bahrain’s merchants will be able to accept cross-border QR payments from Alipay+ international payment partners. Alipay+ currently connects more than 1.8 billion user accounts across from over 40 digital payment partners to more than 150 million merchants in over 100 markets.

In addition to enabling inbound cross-border payments, both parties will also explore the introduction of outbound payment capabilities through the Alipay+ solution in the near future. This will allow Bahraini consumers to use their preferred local payment methods internationally via the BENEFIT network, which connects every bank in the country, to make seamless digital payments at millions of Alipay+ enabled merchants abroad.

The collaboration further encompasses knowledge and technical expertise exchange, as well as joint marketing initiatives designed to raise awareness and promote the adoption of fintech solutions among individuals and businesses.

Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, Chief Executive of BENEFIT, stated: “This partnership reflects BENEFIT’s strategic vision to expand its global presence and reinforce Bahrain’s position as a leading regional hub for fintech and advanced digital payment solutions. 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. This initiative represents a pivotal step toward developing innovative financial solutions that enhance cross-border payments and accelerate digital transformation within the financial sector. It further cements BENEFIT’s role as a strategic partner in shaping a smarter and more sustainable future for Bahrain’s financial ecosystem, in line with the Kingdom’s vision of a knowledge-based digital economy.”

Mr. AlJanahi added: “This collaboration is part of BENEFIT’s broader strategy to establish an effective bridge connecting national payment systems with leading international platforms, in alignment with global fintech developments. It strengthens Bahrain’s capacity to attract high-value investments and strategic partnerships that contribute positively to the national economy.”

Mr. Pietro Candela, General Manager of EMEA for Alipay+, commented: “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. Together we aim to empower local merchants of all sizes to accept seamless payments from international travellers that Alipay+ serves with its partner wallets, while also working towards enabling BENEFIT customers to access our services in international markets in the future.”

The upcoming launch of Alipay+ in Bahrain builds upon Ant International’s recent milestones in the Middle East this year, including the opening of Ant International’s first Middle East office in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to expand its partnerships in the region.

In addition to Bahrain, Alipay+ is also integrated into 10 national QR payment schemes in countries including Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Cambodia, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

About BENEFIT

BENEFIT was established in 1997 and is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) as an ancillary service provider to the Kingdom’s financial services industry. BENEFIT is owned by Banks in Bahrain, regulated by the CBB, to provide innovative Payment Capabilities, Information Management Solutions, and Business Process Outsourcing Services across different sectors in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Region.

BENEFIT’s range of services – supported by GCCNet in countries within the region – include operating of Automated Teller Machines (ATM), Point of Sale (POS), GCCNet, The GCCNet Dispute Management System, Credit Reference Bureau (CRB), Telecom Bill Payment (Tele BP), Direct Debit (DD), Payment Gateway (PG), Bahrain Cheque Truncation System (BCTS), Amex Cards withdrawal, eCheque, EFTs, national eWallet (BenefitPay) and national eKYC Platform for the financial sectors, Bahrain Electronic Cheque, Wages Protection System, and Trust Services for digital signatures.

About Ant International

With headquarters in Singapore and main operations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, Ant International is a leading global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology provider. Through collaboration across the private and public sectors, our unified techfin platform supports financial institutions and merchants of all sizes to achieve inclusive growth through a comprehensive range of cutting-edge digital payment and financial services solutions. To learn more, please visit https://www.ant-intl.com/

About Alipay+

Ant International's Alipay+ is a global wallet gateway with cross-border payment and digitisation services that help connect global merchants to consumers. Consumers enjoy seamless payments, a broad choice of deals and the convenience of digital services using their preferred payment app/e-wallet while travelling abroad. Many small and medium-sized businesses already use Alipay+ digital tools to enhance efficiency and achieve omni-channel growth. To learn more, please visit https://www.alipayplus.com/

(L-R): Hessa Husain, Deputy Chief Executive - Bahrain Credit Reference Bureau & Data Services at BENEFIT; Abdulwahed AlJanahi, Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Pietro Candela, General Manager of EMEA at Alipay+; and Yousif Al Nefaie, Deputy Chief Executive - Business Development & Services at BENEFIT.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced a plan Wednesday to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, moving past a split between the two Republican leaders that resulted in Congress leaving Washington last week without a fix to a record-setting partial government shutdown.

They said in a joint statement that “in the coming days” Republicans in Congress will return to a Senate plan to fund most of the department through an agreement with Democratic senators, with the exception of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol. Republicans would then try later to fund those agencies through party-line spending legislation.

Neither outcome is guaranteed, and the strategy could potentially still face opposition from the GOP’s own ranks even though President Donald Trump has given his support.

“We appreciate and share the President’s determination to once and for all bring an end to the Democrat DHS shutdown,” said Johnson, R-La., and Thune, R-S.D.

The plan represents a do-over of what senators had in mind when they passed a bipartisan funding agreement through unanimous consent last Friday. The Senate could approve similar legislation as soon as Thursday morning through unanimous consent, but even if that happens, it's unclear how quickly the bill could move through the House. It will likely take several months for Republicans to act on the second part of Trump's plan and pass budgeting legislation to fund ICE and Border Patrol.

House Republicans refused to go along with the Senate plan last week, instead changing the bill to fund all of DHS for 60 days.

As a result, the shutdown continued as lawmakers left for their home states and congressional districts for a two-week recess. The DHS shutdown reached its 47th day on Wednesday.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement, "Republican divisions derailed a bipartisan agreement, making American families pay the price for their dysfunction."

The announcement from the GOP leaders showed that for now, Thune and Johnson are on the same page. Their working relationship experienced a rupture late last week when Johnson — at the urging of many House Republicans — rejected Thune’s plan.

The top Republicans hoping the path ahead will win over skeptical GOP colleagues, but the most conservative lawmakers are likely to seek full funding for all of Trump’s immigration and deportation operations.

“Let’s make this simple: caving to Democrats and not paying CBP and ICE is agreeing to defund Law Enforcement and leaving our borders wide open again,” Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., posted on X. “If that’s the vote, I’m a NO.”

It is uncertain whether Johnson could find enough support from the House to recall lawmakers back to Washington before their spring recess ends in mid-April.

Meanwhile, the narrow budget package being prepared for later this year is expected to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the remainder of Trump’s term, as a away to try to ensure those agencies are no longer at risk from Democrats objecting to the president’s immigration enforcement agenda.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump weighed in on the shutdown, using a social media post to seemingly call on Republicans to fund the immigration portions of DHS through a bill that would not require Democratic support. He said he wanted the legislation on his desk by June 1.

“We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us,” Trump said.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries released a statement saying, “It’s time to pay TSA agents, end the airport chaos and fully fund every part of the Department of Homeland Security that does not relate to Donald Trump’s violent mass deportation machine.”

The vast majority of Homeland Security workers continue to report to work during the shutdown, but many thousands have been going without pay. That led to more Transportation Security Administration agents calling out from work, causing frustrating security lines at some of the nation's biggest airports. Those bottlenecks appeared to be clearing this week as agents began receiving backpay, per an executive order from Trump.

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Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed reporting.

Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks during a news conference after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)