Alibaba is preparing to transform international business payments with a tokenized money system that can speed up B2B transactions around the world.
As reported by CNBC, in partnership with JPMorgan, the company aims to roll out a blockchain-based payment network by December to eliminate payment delays and high transaction costs.
The system uses stablecoin-like tokens backed by real bank deposits in USD and EUR, making digital payments faster and more reliable for buyers and suppliers around the world.
Stablecoin payments built for real transactions
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The new payment network is designed to address some of the most pressing issues in global e-commerce.
Currently, cross-border payments can take 48 to 72 hours to clear.
This slows down supply chains and increases risk for both small and medium-sized enterprises and large exporters.
Alibaba plans to use tokenized US dollars and euros backed by physical bank deposits.
These tokens behave like stablecoins but do not have the volatility of cryptocurrencies.
The goal is to create a seamless transaction layer that works frictionlessly across different currencies and jurisdictions.
JPMorgan’s Kinexys blockchain platform powers the network.
The bank’s infrastructure already supports $2 billion in daily tokenized transactions, providing a tested foundation for Alibaba’s next phase of digital transactions.
Agentic Pay automates contract workflows
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Alongside its payment system, Alibaba is launching Agentic Pay, a smart payment rail that uses artificial intelligence to speed up B2B negotiations.
This tool can automatically convert chat conversations between buyers and suppliers into enforceable contracts.
The use of AI in this context can help simplify processes that would normally require legal review and documentation.
It reduces the time and manual effort required to close deals, allowing companies to focus on operations rather than administration.
Agentic Pay is expected to make Alibaba’s platform more efficient by directly linking communication and transaction execution.
This will naturally link with new tokenized payment systems, creating a complete end-to-end experience for users.
December launch aims to reach billions
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The system is scheduled to be rolled out globally in December. Once up and running, Alibaba expects the network to be able to process billions of payments per year.
The company believes this is a necessary step to expand digital trade and remove long-standing barriers in global finance.
Kuo Zhang, president of Alibaba.com, shared details of the initiative with CNBC, explaining that the current state of B2B trade needs to be reimagined using modern tools.
The company says this urgency is driven by the inefficiencies that exist in the traditional financial rails that support international trade.
JPMorgan’s timing closely aligns with this project.
Just two days before this announcement, the bank launched a deposit token on Base. This is another sign of growing confidence in tokenization from traditional finance.
A new model for cross-border payments
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This partnership between the world’s leading marketplace and a leading financial institution signals a shift in the way digital payments are processed at scale.
This is not an experimental project, but a commercial solution built on proven banking infrastructure and digital asset technology.
By replacing latency and currency complexity with near-instant tokenized transactions, Alibaba is taking a bold step toward the future of trade.
This model avoids speculative tokens and instead opts for digitally represented real-world money, making it easier for businesses to trust and adopt.
This multi-billion-dollar, technology-intensive project from two industry leaders could be a turning point in global B2B commerce.
