(Commerce Wire, São Paulo, September 4, 2026) — AIBR Instituição de Pagamento Ltda., the local operating entity of Ant International, has been formally granted a Payment‑Institution (PI) licence by the Central Bank of Brazil (Banco Central do Brasil), marking a key transition from platform‑based services to regulated domestic payment operations across the country.
The authorisation was published in Brazil’s Diário Oficial da União on 4 September, following a board resolution issued by the Central Bank on 1 September. Headquartered in São Paulo with registered capital of approximately BRL 47.5 million, AIBR holds dual authorisation as an electronic‑money issuer and a Payment Transaction Initiator (ITP). The licence permits the firm to offer prepaid payment accounts, initiate online payment flows and deliver payment‑related services within Brazil’s Open‑Finance framework.
Prior to this regulatory milestone, Ant International has served Brazilian merchants via Antom, its merchant‑focused digital‑payments gateway supporting Pix instant transfers, credit‑card acquiring and alternative local payment rails. With the new PI licence, AIBR is authorised to deliver regulated domestic payments, multi‑currency account services, cross‑border settlement and treasury solutions for Brazilian enterprises, digital platforms and small‑and‑medium businesses (SMEs).
“With the invaluable support from the Central Bank of Brazil, we stand ready to deliver more robust and comprehensive global payment and account‑management solutions for participants in Brazil’s dynamic digital economy, deepening collaboration with the country’s well‑established payments ecosystem,” commented Rodrigo Reif, General Manager for Ant International Brazil.
Ant International operates across Asia, Europe and the Americas, delivering cross‑border payments, embedded‑credit facilities, treasury services, FinAI and blockchain‑powered infrastructure. Its payments network links more than 2 billion consumer accounts and 150 million merchants worldwide, processing over 20 million transactions each day. As Latin America’s largest economy, Brazil boasts one of the world’s most advanced instant‑payment ecosystems centred on Pix, opening substantial partnership opportunities for international fintech operators.
Industry observers note that Brazil’s regulators have been tightening market‑access requirements for cross‑border‑payment providers, mandating local PI licensing for foreign‑owned operators. The licence award enables Ant International to complete its compliance upgrade in‑country, streamline China‑Brazil trade‑payment workflows for e‑commerce, manufacturing and cross‑border service providers, and strengthen the group’s competitive positioning across Latin‑American fintech markets over the longer run.