Antom Partners with Affirm to Introduce Transparent Pay-Over-Time Options for US Merchants

Antom, the global merchant payment and digitisation platform operated by Ant International, has announced a strategic partnership with Affirm, listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol AFRM. This collaboration is designed to bring Affirm’s widely recognized pay-over-time solutions to Antom’s extensive network of merchants across the United States, providing businesses with a streamlined method to offer their customers flexible payment alternatives at the point of checkout.

The initiative, rolling out this month, allows Antom’s U.S. merchant base to integrate Affirm directly into their existing checkout interfaces. By doing so, merchants can provide shoppers with heightened transparency and greater autonomy regarding how they finance their purchases. Eligible consumers utilizing the service can select customized biweekly or monthly payment schedules. A defining characteristic of Affirm’s model is its commitment to upfront pricing transparency, ensuring that the full cost of a purchase is clearly visible to the buyer from the outset, with no hidden costs or late fees applied.

This consumer-friendly approach has proven instrumental in fostering brand loyalty and consumer trust. According to platform data, a significant majority—specifically 96 percent—of Affirm transactions originate from repeat customers who value the predictability and clarity of the payment structure.

Industry executives have emphasized the strategic value of this integration for businesses seeking to optimize their sales funnels and enhance conversion rates. Gary Liu, Chief Executive Officer of Antom and Senior Vice President of Ant International, underscored the mutual benefits for merchants and consumers alike during the rollout announcement.

"Our merchants are looking for payment options that can support their growth while remaining simple to integrate and familiar to their customers," said Gary Liu. "Affirm is a name their customers recognize and trust, so offering it is an easy call. Bringing Affirm onto our platform can help merchants turn browsers into buyers."

The technical implementation of the service has been designed for maximum operational efficiency. Merchants operating within the Antom ecosystem can enable Affirm directly through the Antom portal by completing a streamlined setup process in just a few steps. When a consumer elects to use Affirm at the digital checkout counter, they undergo a rapid eligibility assessment. Affirm’s real-time underwriting system then tailors each approved financing offer specifically to the transaction at hand.

The scope of eligible purchases is broad, covering transaction amounts ranging from $35 up to $30,000, with repayment terms extending anywhere from 30 days to 36 months. Furthermore, as a direct result of this partnership, Antom merchants will possess the capability to present consumers with promotional financing plans, including six-month interest-free options powered by Affirm.

The partnership also highlights the growing demand among payment infrastructure providers to incorporate transparent financial services that align with shifting consumer preferences. Traditional credit models have frequently faced criticism for complex fee structures, creating a market opening for alternative payment solutions built on clear terms and fixed schedules. Steve McPhee, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Affirm, noted that this evolving landscape is driving more payment platforms to seek out collaborations with the company.

"Payment platforms increasingly choose Affirm because their merchants do better when customers can pay over time on honest terms," said Steve McPhee. "Antom brings Affirm to its growing merchant base in the US today, and its global footprint gives us real room to grow together."

Following the initial rollout in the United States, the collaborative initiative is slated for further international expansion. The service is scheduled to become available for customers located in the United Kingdom later this year, with broader strategic plans in place to introduce the pay-over-time integration to additional global markets as the partnership matures.