Core Insights - In 2025, China's foreign trade demonstrates resilience amid complex environments, with a 6.2% year-on-year increase in goods exports in the first ten months, particularly strong growth in emerging markets like ASEAN, the Middle East, and Latin America [1] - Ant International's cross-border payment and account service brand, WorldFirst, reported serving over 1.5 million global enterprise clients and processing nearly $200 billion in transaction volume, reflecting a nearly 100% year-on-year growth [1] - The growth indicates a shift in Chinese foreign trade from "scale expansion" to "high-quality outbound" strategies, with cross-border financial services accelerating tailored solutions for enterprises [1] Cross-Border Financial Services - WorldFirst's "World Account" has seen over 300% growth in transaction volume in emerging markets in the first half of 2025, supporting businesses in managing multiple markets and currencies [3] - The service now covers over 220 countries and regions, with wallet balances in 32 currencies and support for payments in 101 currencies, achieving same-day settlement for 95% of transactions [3] - The introduction of the "World Card" and "World Wealth" products enhances the one-stop cross-border financial service capability, allowing enterprises to manage the entire process from receiving payments to currency exchange and fund management [3] Compliance and Localization - WorldFirst has established a compliance-first and localized service system, obtaining over 60 payment licenses globally, including a recent license in Malaysia [5] - Partnerships with local financial institutions in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa enhance local payment and settlement capabilities [5] - The company has launched solutions to facilitate trade between China and Africa, supporting local currency payments in 13 African countries [5] AI Integration - 90% of WorldFirst's cross-border sellers are utilizing AI tools, with 100% of customer service now available 24/7 in multiple languages [7] - The self-developed "Eagle Sequence" AI model predicts foreign exchange needs with over 90% accuracy, potentially reducing foreign exchange costs by up to 60% [7] - The SHIELD risk control model monitors transactions in real-time, ensuring payment security and reducing risks associated with frozen accounts [7] Strategic Shift in Global Operations - The growth of WorldFirst in 2025 reflects a significant shift in the paradigm of Chinese enterprises going global, moving from speed and scale to efficiency, resilience, and sustainability [8] - The focus is on building systematic, intelligent, and compliant global operational capabilities to help enterprises navigate cyclical fluctuations and conduct global business effectively [8]