Aims to lift SMEs’ digital presence and help businesses sell overseas.
The international business payments company WorldFirst and Alibaba.com, Alibaba Group’s B2B marketplace, have entered a partnership to help Singapore’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bolster their digital presence and expand their sales internationally, overcoming the constraints brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to a media release, WorldFirst will become Alibaba.com’s official channel partner in Singapore, helping local sellers gain access to the 26 million buyers from over 200 countries and regions on the platform.
Through the partnership, WorldFirst will help the SMEs assess how best to leverage Alibaba.com and further assist them in navigating the platform’s variety of services, from registration, setting up and running their online stores, to conducting online marketing campaigns together with certified Alibaba.com partners, the company said in a statement. Through WorldFirst, sellers will be able to conduct fast, convenient, and cost-effective cross-border payments.
“Singapore’s exports have remained resilient amid the uncertainties and will continue to ride on the global trade recovery, and our timely partnership will allow WorldFirst and Alibaba.com to connect Singapore’s dynamic SMEs to millions of potential buyers across the world,” Peter Scully, Country Manager, WorldFirst Singapore commented. “Our partnership with Alibaba.com is a testament to our shared commitment to helping local SMEs thrive online as well as offline, and benefit from the huge opportunities that exist in the international market.”
Founded in 2004, WorldFirst is an international payments business helping small businesses move money around the world. Since 2019 it has been part of Ant Group, an affiliate of Alibaba.
