Ant Group, the owner of mobile payment app Alipay, launched a blockchain-powered platform for cross-border trade settlements, as the move came ahead of its IPO, which it plans to list in Hong Kong and Shanghai’s STAR Market next month simultaneously.
It has been reported that Ant Group, previously known as Ant Financial, which is backed by e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba Group, is seeking to raise about $35 billion in the dual IPO to become the world’s largest IPO by surpassing oil giant Saudi Aramco’s billion last December.
However, Ant was rebranded this year as a tech firm due to tighter financial regulations, as it is known for submitting the most number of blockchain patent applications globally, over the past two years.
#AntGroup Launches Blockchain-Powered Cross-border Trade Settlement Platform '#Trusple'https://t.co/3zZEslNcAO — Bitcoin Exchange Guide – ₿EG (@bitcoinsguide) September 26, 2020
The technology saw a surge in interest after President Xi Jinping said last year that the country should accelerate its development.
Its new platform, “Trusple,” is based on Antchain, the company’s blockchain technology.
Learn how Trusple works using #blockchaintechnology pic.twitter.com/0Uinkl6xKc — Ant Group (@antgroup) September 25, 2020
Moreover, on this platform, buyers and sellers upload their orders, which automatically generate smart contracts with information like logistics. The banks then process payments using Antchain.
Thus, the users of the platform could also include vendors that sell to other businesses through marketplaces like Alibaba’s overseas e-commerce site AliExpress.
Source: Bitcoin Exchange Guide