Collaborating with AliExpress and local partners to provide SME financing, support local economy

Bettr, a leading AI-driven lending business under Ant International, today announced its official launch in Brazil to expand small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) lending to support local and regional economic development by working with local partners. As a first move, it formed a strategic partnership with AliExpress to bring a new financing solution, Bettr Working Capital, to local merchants operating on AliExpress. This enables simple and streamlined access to working capital and supports business expansion in one of the world’s fastest-developing e-commerce markets.

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Merchants can access Bettr Working Capital on AliExpress Seller Centre, selecting loan amount and repayment options. (*Actual credit line and interest rates are subject to the rates displayed in the system at the time of loan application.)

Bettr Working Capital will gradually roll out, with the first batch of disbursements starting on March 17. As Latin America’s largest digital economy, Brazil continues to experience rapid e-commerce growth, with millions of SMEs and micro-business owners thriving in this dynamic sector. However, access to financing remains a challenge for many, as SMEs' limited collateral, lack of standardized financial documentation, and other constraints make it difficult to secure funding. Through this partnership, Bettr integrates its AI-powered lending technology into the AliExpress platform to offer smarter and more accessible financing solutions. By analysing merchants’ sales record and other unstructured business information from AliExpress, Bettr Working Capital provides affordable and tailored loan options, helping sellers access funds more easily to manage cash flow, grow their business, and expand into new categories.

Leveraging AI, Bettr makes credit more inclusive. With alternative data-based modelling, it can conduct credit assessments quickly and accurately. Bettr is also enhancing its lending capabilities in compliance with Brazil’s regulatory framework. AliExpress’s deep e-commerce ecosystem enables seamless integration of financing solutions for sellers, allowing them to access the tailored credit product within its operational workflow through its merchant portal.

Sellers can apply for flexible Bettr Working Capital via the “Financial Services” section in the AliExpress Seller Centre, with a simple digital application process featuring intuitive page interactions, real-time approval tracking, rapid fund disbursement and responsive customer service. With loan amounts starting from as small as BRL1,000, competitive interest rates, flexible instalment options and no collateral requirements, Bettr Working Capital is designed to reduce financing costs and ease the financial burden on SME borrowers.

“We are thrilled to launch Bettr’s lending service in Brazil, a market with vibrant economy landscape and strong entrepreneurial spirit,” said Quan Yu, General Manager of Ant International’s Global Credit Tech, who also oversees Bettr’s expansion in select markets. "Our partnership with AliExpress marks a meaningful first step in broadening financial access for local businesses, and Bettr looks forward to expanding this impact to more regions. SMEs make up the vast majority of businesses globally, yet many still struggle to secure the funding they need to grow. By harnessing the power of AI and collaborating with diverse local partners, we are dedicated to turning cutting-edge technologies into real and practical solutions with offerings like Bettr Working Capital, empowering SMEs to unlock new growth opportunities, drive innovation, and contribute to the real economy. This commitment lies at the heart of our mission to bring small and beautiful changes to the world."

"We are very excited about this partnership with Bettr, which will further enhance the support offered to local sellers in Brazil. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to helping small and medium-sized businesses thrive by providing accessible and efficient financial tools that can take their operations to the next level. In this way, we are not only supporting the individual growth of these entrepreneurs but also contributing to the advancement of e-commerce in the country. Together, we are building an ecosystem where sellers have more resources and opportunities to innovate, expand, and reach new levels of success," said Briza Bueno, LatAm director of AliExpress.

About Ant International

Headquartered in Singapore, Ant International is a leading global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology provider offering a unified techfin platform to unlock next-gen commerce for all. In close collaboration with partners, we support merchants of all sizes worldwide to realize their growth aspirations through a comprehensive range of tech-driven digital payment and financial services solutions. To learn more, please visit https://www.antglobal.com/.

About Bettr

Bettr is the tech-driven digital lending business under Ant International, focused on providing inclusive financial services to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in strategic markets through partners via embedded finance. It leverages innovation-led tech like AI and privacy-preserving computing and uses alternative data-driven credit modelling to enable secure financing solutions. By collaborating with non-financial industries such as e-commerce, aviation, and OTAs, Bettr enhances the accessibility and ease of financing, unlocking growth opportunities for MSMEs. For more information on Bettr, please visit: https://www.bettrfinancing.com/.

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