Game & Entertainment
MAISEAT Relies on WorldFirst to Simplify Cross-border Ticketing Fund Management
MAISEAT partners with WorldFirst to launch an integrated cross-border finance solution featuring global checkouts, payouts, like-for-like settlements, fund segregation and automated reconciliation. This solution addresses cross-border ticketing challenges—such as diverse payment methods, FX losses, and complex security deposit requirements—to support MAISEAT's global expansion in live entertainment.
MAISEAT operates across Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, North America, etc. We settle ticket revenues with promoters in local currencies after each event. With WorldFirst, we collect and pay in the same currencies, eliminating unnecessary conversions and reducing exposure to exchange rate swings.
Zhao Yuan
Head of Treasury, Hujing Digital Media & Entertainment Group
Background: MAISEAT expands its domestic ticketing business into international markets
MAISEAT scales overseas using a brand extension strategy with two distinct product lines for global users instead of replicating its domestic single-platform model.
MAISEAT faces challenges including fragmented users, complex ticket sources, and longer fulfilment chains as it transitions to an overseas operation. To manage global fund flows securely while navigating varied payment preferences, settlement currencies and compliance requirements, MAISEAT requires a cross-border finance system to handle checkout, payouts, fund management and reconciliation.
Challenges: Global ticketing expansion requires managing complex financial operations
Cross-border ticketing requires balancing payment experience, settlement speed and treasury control. Expanding overseas, MAISEAT faces key fund challenges:
- Collecting payments from global buyers
Customers worldwide prefer different options, such as credit cards or local digital wallets. Not offering their preferred local payment methods creates checkout friction and lowers conversion rates.
- Ensuring success for high-value payments
High-demand events involve high-value transactions, where traditional cross-border payment failures harm user experience and order completion.
- Paying promoters
MAISEAT must manage like-for-like settlements across over 30 countries as it scales. Multiple accounts, limited currency options and repeated FX conversions drive up fund management costs.
Enterprise Solution: MAISEAT partners with WorldFirst to build an end-to-end finance system
WorldFirst develops an integrated finance solution for MAISEAT using its global payment network, compliance infrastructure and APIs. This covers the full cycle of collecting, managing, paying out and reconciling funds.
- Global checkout with localised payments
WorldFirst enables MAISEAT to accept card payments and local wallets globally to match the payment habits of global buyers. A multi-currency account system unifies fragmented payment flows from multiple banks and PSPs into one dashboard.
- Global payout with like-for-like settlements
WorldFirst allows MAISEAT to pay overseas service providers or promoters in local or foreign currencies on their preferred schedules. Supporting Macanese pataca (MOP) for Hong Kong and Macao eliminates double currency conversions and unnecessary FX losses.
- Fund segregation and escrow with full payment transparency
WorldFirst sets up merchant settlement, escrow and platform accounts for MAISEAT to keep different fund types separate and traceable. Escrow funds can be frozen, unfrozen or deducted based on platform instructions, supporting MAISEAT's global operations.
In cross-border ticketing, our biggest worry isn't just selling tickets—it's paying promoters on time and in full. With a single WorldFirst account, we collect payments in over a dozen currencies and pay promoters in their local currency on their preferred schedule. This reliability builds trust with promoters across diverse markets.
Zhao Yuan
Head of Treasury, Hujing Digital Media & Entertainment Group
Benefits: Deep collaboration creates a frictionless cross-border ticketing ecosystem
WorldFirst helps MAISEAT build an efficient financial framework that turns fund flows into a competitive edge through its all-in-one global payment and treasury solutions.
Smoother checkout experience
Buyers can use local payment methods across regions, reducing high-value payment failures and improving conversion rates.
More efficient financial management
Multi-currency fund consolidation and automated reconciliation boost transparency and cut repetitive financial tasks.
Stronger partnership trust
MAISEAT builds trust with overseas promoters by paying them in their local currencies and on their preferred schedules.
Smoother fund flows
Same-currency payouts eliminate double currency conversion costs. Settlement times are reduced from days to same-day or even minutes, easing cash flow pressure.
Damai, founded in 2004, is one of China's leading ticketing platforms, featuring over 300 million registered users and more than 400,000 events annually.
MAISEAT was launched in 2025 as the international counterpart to Damai, serving as a global live events and cross-border ticketing platform. MAISEAT is committed to delivering high-quality ticketing experiences for concerts, sports events, theatre, and music festivals by leveraging Alibaba Group's technology, resources, and ecosystem.
- Industry
- Location
China
- Company Size
300M+ registered users
400,000+ events served annually
- Global Footprint
Japan, South Korea, Singapore,
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia,
Vietnam, North America, etc.
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia,
Vietnam, North America, etc.
WorldFirst Capabilities Used
Global Checkout
Global mass payout
Fund segregation
Automated reconciliation
