Pictured: Mr Gary Liu, CEO of Antom and Senior Vice President of Ant International (fourth from left) and Mr. Le Hong Ha, President and CEO of Vietnam Airlines (fourth from right), alongside representatives from Vietnam Airlines at the Vietnam-Singapore Tech Connect Forum, 29 May 2026

Vietnam, Singapore –Within the framework of the Vietnam–Singapore Tech Connect Forum held during the State Visit to Singapore by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam, 2C2P by Antom, Southeast Asia’s leading full-suite payments platform, today announced its partnership to Vietnam Airlines, the national flag carrier of Vietnam, with the witness of senior leaders from both countries, to extend the range of payment options beyond card payments for customers of the airline across Asia Pacific, as part of the its international expansion plans. These alternative payment options will be made available from 2H2026. 

Through this partnership, Vietnam Airlines will roll out localised payment capabilities across eight markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Hong Kong. In the first phase, customers will be able to pay for flights through domestic bank transfer options including QR payments and internet banking, with mobile wallets to be introduced in the second phase.

The partnership is timely amidst rapidly evolving consumer payment preferences across Southeast Asia. An IDC InfoBrief commissioned by 2C2P by Antom in 2026 found that Southeast Asia is projected to see a 104% increase in domestic payments, (i.e., real-time payment systems and local bank-based schemes) which are expected to account for US$92.0 billion of e-commerce transaction volume in 2029, the largest contribution to Southeast Asia’s digital payments sector at approximately 32%, replacing cards. The region is also expected to see a 107% boost in mobile wallets, with a projection of US$79.0 billion in e-commerce transaction volume in 2029, accounting for 27% of the ecommerce market in 2029.

At the same time, Vietnam continues to experience steady growth in international arrival numbers in 2025 of 21.5 million, as outlined in the 1H 2026 Strategy & Investment Outlook Report by Velocity Ventures and Pear Anderson. The report outlined how Vietnam continued to be the best-performing Southeast Asia market in terms of surpassing pre-pandemic levels of international arrivals, and is projected to reach its 25 million target by this year. Digital payments adoption in Vietnam is also expected to accelerate significantly by 2029, driven by the rapid adoption of mobile wallets and domestic payment systems (e.g., VietQR) which is expected to increase from 55% in 2024 to 63% of total ecommerce volume by 2029.

For airlines, this presents both opportunities and operational challenges, including fragmented payment systems, fraud management and reconciliation complexities across markets.

2C2P by Antom, as an airlines solution expert, is well-placed to partner with Vietnam Airlines to navigate these challenges by leveraging its extensive technical capabilities as well as deep understanding and strong track record of more than 23 years, supporting companies within the industry.

Vietnam Airlines will leverage 2C2P by Antom’s proprietary payment orchestration platform, Payment Air Controller (PACO), which enables airlines to dynamically route transactions across multiple acquirers through a single API integration. PACO is designed with smart retry logic to maximise transaction success rates and improve cost efficiency, supporting the airline’s broader route expansion and digital growth strategy.

The platform is compliant with the industry’s highest payment card data security standards (PCI DSS Level 1-certified), providing customers with a secure and seamless checkout experience. PACO is also integrated with leading global distribution systems such as Amadeus and Sabre, enabling faster deployment and streamlined connectivity for airline partners.

“Today’s travellers expect payment experiences that are as seamless and localised as their journeys. By combining PACO’s orchestration capabilities with local QR and bank payment methods across Asia Pacific, 2C2P by Antom is partnering with Vietnam Airlines to enhance the checkout experience, simplify complexity across markets and deliver a more intuitive and inclusive customer experience at scale. We are excited to support Vietnam Airlines to capture the full commercial potential of one of the fastest-growing travel regions in the world today, advancing Ant International’s commitment to cross-border connectivity and digital innovation in Vietnam,” said Worachat Luxkanalode, Group CEO of 2C2P by Antom.

“In an environment where travellers increasingly expect seamless, flexible, and locally relevant payment experiences, our partnership with 2C2P by Antom enables Vietnam Airlines to further expand its digital payment ecosystem across the Asia Pacific region. This is not only a step forward in our digital transformation journey, but also a continued commitment to enhancing customer experience, improving convenience, and strengthening the position of Vietnam Airlines as we strive to become a 5-star airline by 2030,” said Nguyen Quang Trung, Vietnam Airlines Executive Vice President.

The partnership builds on the broader efforts of Antom, a merchant payment and digitisation services provider under Ant International, to support airlines with global payment processing, business account management, foreign exchange risk management, treasury optimization and passenger engagement.

It also reflects Ant International’s commitment to Vietnam’s digital and financial development. Ant International provides payment, digitisation, and financial technology solutions across global markets. Through its support for the Ho Chi Minh City International Financial Centre, Ant International will strengthen its collaboration with local partners to advance cross-border connectivity, fintech innovation and inclusive growth. Other than connecting regional consumers to Vietnam Airlines, Ant International has recently introduced cross-border payments with NAPAS, connecting small local merchants to global customers, while also working with partners like Vietcombank to enable global payments for Vietnamese travellers.