Ant International has launched a PayTo payment solution for Australian small and medium-sized enterprises, integrating the real-time payment method into its Global Account Service in collaboration with Citi, which is acting as the initiator sponsor bank.
The solution, primarily powered by WorldFirst, allows clients to initiate pull payments to top up their World Account directly from Australian bank accounts connected with PayTo.
Payments are processed in real time, around the clock, including weekends and public holidays, offering an alternative to traditional direct debits and reducing reliance on card fees.
The announcement addresses a significant challenge for Australian exporters. Australia exported US$343.8 billion in goods in 2025, yet nearly 80% of the country's SMEs have reported cash flow impacts from slow cross-border payment processes.
The PayTo integration aims to ease that strain by unlocking working capital more quickly and improving payment security through bank-level authorisation.
Jim Vrondas, General Manager of ANZ WorldFirst at Ant International, said: "Drawing on our experience in cross-border payments, we see firsthand how critical cash flow is to their success—and we remain committed to working with Citi and other banking partners to bring more innovation to Australian SMEs."
Kirstin Renner, Co-Head of Services for Citi Australia, said the collaboration directly addressed a tangible payments challenge for Australian businesses, describing the partnership as a foundational step in modernising business-to-business payments.
Ant International added that both parties were exploring further collaboration opportunities to develop a more comprehensive payments ecosystem for Australian SMEs.
Fast facts
Solution: PayTo payment integration for Australian SMEs
Platform: Ant International's Global Account Service, powered by WorldFirst
Initiator sponsor bank: Citi
Account funded: World Account (WorldFirst)
Processing hours: Real time, 24/7 including weekends and public holidays
Australia goods exports (2025): US3.8 billion
