QI Tech and Ant International’s Bettr join forces to expand credit access for e-commerce merchants and consumers in Brazil

Strategic partnership promotes financial inclusion through working capital programs for SMEs and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solutions on e-commerce platforms

QI Tech, a leading financial services infrastructure provider in Brazil, has partnered with Bettr, Ant International’s provider of inclusive and embedded financial solutions, to expand access to credit for e-commerce merchants and consumers. The initiative is aligned with the country’s ongoing efforts to promote financial inclusion by bringing credit solutions directly to digital marketplaces.

In this initial phase, QI Tech will collaborate with Bettr to offer working capital solutions to small and medium-sized e-commerce businesses, enabling them to expand inventory and scale their operations more efficiently. The partnership also includes a Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solution for consumers, offered at the point of purchase and allowing AliExpress users to pay in installments.

Consumers will be able to select the BNPL option directly at checkout, with the transaction facilitated by Bettr.

Both solutions are supported by automated analyses based on transactional data, real-time decision-making and sophisticated risk management models. These mechanisms were developed to address users’ needs and repayment capacity, encouraging the sustainable use of credit.

QI Tech helps companies automate the entire financial technology journey, offering solutions for credit, banking, antifraud, payments and more. Ant International, meanwhile, is one of the world’s leading providers of digital payments, digitalization and financial technology, supporting financial institutions and businesses of all sizes with a comprehensive portfolio that includes payment solutions, accounts, merchant digitalization, embedded finance, treasury management and FinAI innovations.

“We are working with Ant International to better address the growing demand for inclusive financial solutions among underserved groups in Brazil, especially small businesses. Our goal is to enable a more connected ecosystem spanning onboarding, credit analysis, credit issuance and the structuring of a Credit Rights Investment Fund (FIDC),” says Pedro Mac Dowell, CEO and founder of QI Tech.

The partnership comes at a time of structural transformation in retail, driven by the growth of e-commerce, the digitalization of consumption and the demand for more seamless and integrated shopping experiences. Pressured by tighter margins, rising logistics costs and increasingly demanding consumers, the sector has been seeking Embedded Finance solutions that connect payments, credit, logistics and engagement in a single journey. This new digital shopping experience helps increase average ticket size, reduce cart abandonment and create new revenue streams for retailers.

According to a study by Mordor Intelligence, Brazil’s e-commerce market is expected to reach US$69.21 billion in 2026 and grow to US$150.91 billion by 2031. The research highlights consumers’ strong preference for payment solutions naturally integrated into the digital purchasing journey, a factor that significantly improves the customer experience and increases conversion rates in online retail.

“Credit is moving away from being a standalone product and becoming a natural part of the digital experience. This partnership combines Ant International’s technological capabilities with QI Tech’s regulated and scalable infrastructure to connect credit and payments more efficiently within Brazil’s evolving retail landscape,” says Pedro.

“This partnership reinforces our commitment to local collaboration to gain deeper insights and create greater synergies,” says Quan Yu, General Manager of Bettr Credit and Senior Vice President of Ant International. “By making long-term investments in initiatives like this, we are expanding access to credit in a broader, more flexible and secure way, helping consumers better manage their finances while creating new growth opportunities for merchants. At the same time, we are supporting SMEs with access to financing, contributing to a more resilient retail ecosystem.”