BFSI insights

AI to Act as Virtual CFO and COO for SMEs, Says Ant Group Chairman

Published 17 Nov 2025 ยท fintechnews.sg
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Overview

Ant Group Chairman Eric Jing announced at the Singapore Fintech Festival that AI will increasingly function as a virtual CFO and COO for SMEs. This development aims to address SMEs' challenges in handling complex financial operations due to limited digital skills and manpower.

Key Insights

  • AI as Virtual CFO/COO: AI tools will help SMEs manage payment flows, risk checks, and cross-border transactions.
    • Evidence: Eric Jing's speech at the Singapore Fintech Festival.
    • Verifiable: Yes
  • Antom Copilot: Automates payment integration, reducing time by over 90% and improving chargeback rates by 3%.
    • Evidence: Ant Group's internal data.
    • Verifiable: Yes
  • EPOS360 Launch: Combines POS, payments, banking, and lending for SMEs.
    • Evidence: Product launch details.
    • Verifiable: Yes
  • MAS Collaboration: Ant International works with MAS on tokenised settlement and AI development.
    • Evidence: Participation in MAS' Project Guardian.
    • Verifiable: Yes

BFSI Relevance

  • Why Relevant: AI tools can significantly enhance operational efficiency for SMEs, enabling them to compete globally.
  • Primary Sector: Financial Services
  • Subsectors: SME Banking, Payments
  • Actionable Implications:
    • Explore AI solutions for operational efficiency.
    • Collaborate with fintechs for AI integration.
    • Monitor regulatory developments in AI and tokenisation.
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