KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- CIMB Group Holdings Berhad (“CIMB” or “the Group”) and Ant International today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) to jointly explore innovations in cross-border payments and treasury and liquidity management solutions. 

The comprehensive partnership will see CIMB collaborating with Ant International’s key businesses including Alipay+, Antom and Bettr Treasury, across the Group’s integrated capabilities in cash management, treasury and markets solutions, credit and financing facilities, capital markets activities and sustainability-related initiatives.

Under the MOU, CIMB and Ant International will also jointly develop a digital framework to enhance the treasury and liquidity operations of both parties, by leveraging Ant International’s next-generation blockchain-based treasury management solution, subject to regulatory frameworks and approvals.

The framework aims to strengthen capital efficiency, transparency and cross-border liquidity optimisation, reinforcing the resilience and competitiveness of both sides’ regional financial ecosystems to better serve its customers in Malaysia.

Novan Amirudin, Group Chief Executive Officer, CIMB said, “The partnership marks a milestone in our Forward30 strategy, where innovation is embedded into the core of how we operate and compete. Our collaboration with Ant International enables us to accelerate the institutional adoption of distributed ledger technology within the treasury ecosystem. This positions CIMB at the forefront of building scalable, future ready digital financial infrastructure innovation across ASEAN, while strengthening our ability to deliver greater efficiency, transparency and cross-border connectivity for our clients.”

Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International said, “We are pleased to partner with CIMB, who shares our goal of leveraging technology for seamless and inclusive crossborder payments. By combining our strengths, we will scale the institutional adoption of tokenisation—a key pillar of next-generation financial infrastructure—to create a more efficient and inclusive financial ecosystem for businesses in Malaysia.”

The MOU reflects both parties’ shared ambition to advance responsible digital innovation while maintaining strong governance. CIMB and Ant International will advance the development of the framework with a focus on scalable and practical implementation that supports evolving institutional treasury needs across the region. 

This initiative further reinforces CIMB’s commitment to advancing customers and society by strengthening digital financial infrastructure through tokenisation, building on its recently announced participation in Bank Negara Malaysia’s Digital Assets Innovation Hub and its broader Forward30 digital transformation agenda. 

About CIMB

CIMB is one of ASEAN’s leading banking groups and Malaysia’s second largest financial services provider, by assets. Listed on Bursa Malaysia via CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, it had a market capitalisation of approximately RM89.0 billion as at 31 December 2025. It offers consumer banking, commercial banking, wholesale banking, transaction banking, Islamic banking and asset management products and services. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, the Group is present across ASEAN in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Beyond ASEAN, the Group has market presence in China, Hong Kong and UK. CIMB has one of the most extensive retail branch networks in ASEAN with 552 branches and over 33,000 employees as at 31 December 2025. CIMB’s investment banking arm is one of the largest Asia Pacific-based investment banks, which together with its awardwinning treasury & markets and corporate banking units comprise the Group’s leading wholesale banking franchise. CIMB is also the 91.45% shareholder of Bank CIMB Niaga in Indonesia, and 94.83% shareholder of CIMB Thai in Thailand. 

SOURCE: CIMB Group Holdings Berhad

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Anis Azharuddin / Kelvin Jude Muthu
Group Corporate Communications
CIMB Group Holdings Berhad
Email: anis.azharuddin@cimb.com / kelvinjude.muthu@cimb.com

--BERNAMA