BENEFIT–Ant Deal to Bring Alipay+ QR Payments to Bahrain by 2026
A new collaboration sets the stage for cross-border QR payments that connect Bahraini merchants and consumers to international digital wallets, broadening access to seamless digital transactions.
BENEFIT and Ant International are laying the groundwork for a cross-border payment framework that links Bahrain’s national QR network with Alipay+, the global wallet gateway used by payment partners across Asia and beyond. The agreement, formalised through a memorandum of understanding, outlines plans to activate inbound QR acceptance in 2026 and explore outbound capabilities that would allow Bahrain-issued payment methods to work across Alipay+’s merchant network.
The move brings more than 15,000 Bahraini merchants into reach of international travellers using Alipay+ partner wallets. It also positions BENEFIT to study how local consumers might one day use familiar payment apps abroad through the company’s bank-connected infrastructure. Both sides will work on technical alignment, knowledge exchange, and market-readiness initiatives to encourage adoption among businesses and consumers.
“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," Mr. Pietro Candela, General Manager of EMEA for Alipay+, said. "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.”
For Bahrain, the collaboration fits within a broader effort to modernise financial services and build systems that can integrate with global fintech rails. BENEFIT sees the partnership as part of a longer-term plan to expand the country’s digital payment architecture and deepen links with international platforms. Ant International, which has recently grown its Middle East presence, views the initiative as an extension of its work integrating with national QR schemes across the region and Asia.
As cross-border digital spending becomes more common, the project offers a pathway for Bahrain to participate more directly in the infrastructure shaping how money moves between markets.
