OSLO, NORWAY – 1 December 2023 - Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS (the "Company") on 30 November 2023, regarding the commencement of the subscription period in a new issue of units (the "Units"), consisting of shares and warrants, with preferential rights for existing shareholders raising gross proceeds of approximately NOK 35.0 million (the "Rights Issue"). The shareholders of the Company on 22 November 2023 (and being registered as such in the Norwegian Central Securities Depository, Euronext Securities Oslo, as at the expiry of 24 November 2023 (the "record date") was granted one (1) subscription right (the "Subscription Rights") for each share registered as held by the shareholder as of the record date. One (1) Subscription Right is required to subscribe for one (1) Unit.
The following primary insiders of the Company have today, on 1 December 2023, exercised the following number of Subscription Rights in the Rights Issue, and thereby subscribed for the number of Units to which the number of Subscription Rights exercised entitles them to be allocated upon completion of the Rights Issue.
Please see the attached notifications of transactions for further information.
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This information is subject to the disclosure requirements in article 19 of the Regulation EU 596/2014 (the EU Market Abuse Regulation) and section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
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For further information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
THIS PRESS RELEASE MAY NOT BE MADE PUBLIC, PUBLISHED OR DISTRIBUTED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, SWITZERLAND, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA, THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH ACTIONS, WHOLLY OR IN PART, WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO BUY SECURITIES IN ZWIPE AS. SEE ALSO THE SECTION "IMPORTANT INFORMATION" BELOW IN THIS DOCUMENT.
OSLO, NORWAY – 28 NOVEMBER 2023 – Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS ("Zwipe" or the "Company") on 8 November 2023, in which the Company announced that its board of directors has resolved to propose that the Company carries out a new issue of units, each consisting of one new share in the Company, each with a nominal value of NOK 0.10 and one warrant of series T01 (the "Warrants"), with preferential rights for existing shareholders per unit (the "Units"), amounting to approximately NOK 35 million (the "Rights Issue"). The subscription price in the Rights Issue is NOK 0.60 per Unit on Euronext Growth Oslo and SEK 0.59 per Unit on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden, based on the European Central Bank's published exchange rate on 7 November 2023 (the "Subscription Price").
Reference is further made to the stock exchange announcement published by the Company on 24 November 2023 where the Company announced that the prospectus pertaining to the Rights Issue had been approved and registered by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (the "Prospectus"). The Prospectus has also been passported to Norway.
Availability of the prospectus:
Subject to applicable local securities laws, the prospectus for the Rights Issue is available on the Company's website www.zwipe.com and will also be available on the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority's website, www.fi.se.
Eligibility:
The shareholders of the Company on 22 November 2023 (the "Eligible Shareholders") (and being registered as such in the Norwegian Central Securities Depository, Euronext Securities Oslo, (the "VPS") as at the expiry of 24 November 2023 (the "Record Date") has been granted one (1) subscription right for each share registered as held by the shareholder as of the Record Date (the "Subscription Rights"). One (1) Subscription Right is required to subscribe for one (1) Unit. Each Unit consists of one (1) new share and one (1) Warrant. The Subscription Rights will be registered on each Eligible Shareholders' VPS account.
Allocation of Subscription Rights:
One Subscription Right provides preferential right to subscribe for, and be allocated, one Unit at the Subscription Price (subject to applicable law in the relevant jurisdiction of an Eligible Shareholder). Eligible Shareholders will be allocated one (1) Subscription Right for every one (1) existing share registered as held by such eligible shareholder as of the Record Date. For a description of the allocation procedure, acquisition and/or exercise of Subscription Rights, reference is made to the section headed "Terms and Conditions of the Offering" under sub-heading "Allocation of the Units" in the Prospectus.
Subscription Period: The subscription period in the Rights Issue taking place on Euronext Growth Oslo will commence at 09:00 hours (CET) on 28 November 2023 and expire at 16:30 hours (CET) on 13 December 2023. The subscription period in the Rights Issue for the part of the Rights Issue taking place on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden will commence at 09:00 hours (CET) on 28 November 2023 and expire at 16:30 hours (CET) on 12 December 2023.
Trading in Subscription Rights: The Subscription Rights will be listed and tradable on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker "ZWIPT" from 09:00 hours (CET) on 28 November 2023 to 16:30 hours (CET) on 7 December 2023 on Euronext Growth Oslo and Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden. Subscription Rights that are not used to subscribe for Units or sold before the expiry of the Subscription Period will have no value and will lapse without compensation to the holder. The Subscription Rights may have economic value if the Company's shares trade above the Subscription Price during the Subscription Period.
Change in share capital, number of shares and dilution:
Based on the outstanding number of shares as of today, the share capital in the Company increases through the Rights Issue by a maximum of NOK 5,841,373.20, from NOK 5,841,373.20 to a maximum of NOK 11,682,746.40, through the issuance of a maximum of 58,413,732 shares. The number of shares increases from 58,413,732 to a maximum of 116,827,464 shares. For existing shareholders who do not participate in the Rights Issue, this implies a dilution effect of 50.0 percent in the case of full subscription.
Upon full subscription in the Rights Issue and subsequent subscription of NOK 5 million in the Convertible Loan (as defined below), the number of shares will increase by a further 6,410,256 to 123,237,720 shares and the share capital by NOK 641,025.60 to NOK 12,323,772.00 given full conversion of the Convertible Loan.
In the event that all outstanding warrants issued in the Rights issue are fully exercised for the subscription of new shares in Zwipe, the number of shares will increase by a further 29,206,866 to a total of 152,444,586 shares and the share capital will increase by NOK 2,920,686.60 to a total of NOK 15,244,458.60.
In the event that all outstanding warrants issued in connection with the Convertible Loan are fully exercised for the subscription of new shares in Zwipe, the number of shares will increase by a further 3,205,128 to a total of 155,649,714 shares and the share capital will increase by 320,512.80 to a total of 15,564,971.40 SEK.
Subscription Price:
The subscription price in the Rights Issue is NOK 0.60 per Unit on Euronext Growth Oslo and SEK 0.59 per Unit on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden, based on the European Central Bank's published exchange rate on 7 November 2023.
Pre-commitment and bottom guarantee commitments:
In connection with the Rights Issue, the Company has received subscription commitments from a number of existing shareholders totaling approximately NOK 8.8 million, corresponding to approximately 25 percent of the Rights Issue. No compensation is paid for these subscription commitments.
In addition, Zwipe has received so-called bottom guarantee commitments of approximately NOK 15.8 million. Through the bottom guarantees, provided that subscription takes place to an amount at least equivalent to the subscription commitments, approximately 70 percent of the issue proceeds in the Rights issue is secured. For the so-called bottom guarantees, a compensation of thirteen (13) percent of the guaranteed amount is paid. The subscription commitments and bottom guarantee commitments are not secured by bank guarantee, escrow funds, pledging or similar arrangements. Detailed information regarding the parties that have entered into subscription commitments and guarantee undertakings can be found in the Prospectus.
Top guarantee commitment and new issue of the Convertible Loan and Warrants pursuant to the top guarantee commitment
Zwipe has received a so-called top guarantee of approximately NOK 10.5 million. Through the top guarantee, provided that subscription takes place to an amount at least equivalent to the subscription commitments and the bottom guarantee commitments, 100 percent of the issue proceeds in the Rights Issue is secured. For the so-called top guarantee, a compensation of fifteen (15) percent of the guaranteed amount is paid. The top guarantee commitment is not secured by bank guarantee, escrow funds, pledging or similar arrangements. In the event that the top guarantor needs to fulfill its top guarantee commitment, the subscription amount shall be paid to the Company by the top guarantor subscribing for a convertible loan in the Company of up to approximately NOK 10.5 million (the "Convertible Loan"). The total subscription price for the Convertible Loan will be equivalent to the total subscription price of the Rights Issue, minus the subscription price of the units subscribed by the existing shareholders of the Company and the units subscribed by the bottom guarantors. However, the subscription price shall not be less than NOK 5.0 million. For instance, if the Rights Issue is subscribed to 75%, the top guarantor will subscribe in the Convertible Loan for 25% of the Rights Issue. If the Convertible Loan is subscribed to 95%, the top guarantor will subscribe for 5% of the Rights Issue, adjusted up to an amount equal to base amount of NOK 5.0 million. This means that the total potential funds raised in the Rights Issue and the Convertible Loan could amount to approximately NOK 40.0 million in aggregate. The Convertible Loan carries an annual interest rate of 10 percent + STIBOR 3M of the loan amount. The interest will be paid by the Company quarterly in cash. The maturity date of the Convertible Loan is 20 December 2024, to the extent conversion has not taken place before such date. The conversion price is 130 percent of subscription price in the Rights issue, which is equal to NOK 0.78 per share. The top guarantor will also have the right and obligation to subscribe for Warrants free of charge in relation to the subscription price for the Convertible Loan. The number of Warrants the top guarantor shall be entitled to subscribe for will amount to the maximum number of Units in the Rights Issue less the aggregate number of Units subscribed for by existing shareholders in the Company and Units subscribed for under the bottom guarantee commitments divided by 0.78. Detailed information regarding the top guarantor can be found in the Prospectus.
Financial Intermediaries: If an Eligible Shareholder holds shares in the Company registered through a financial intermediary as of expiry of the Record Date, the financial intermediary will customarily give the Eligible Shareholder details of the aggregate number of the Subscription Rights to which they will be entitled. The relevant financial intermediary will customarily supply each Eligible Shareholder with this information in accordance with its usual customer relations procedures. Eligible Shareholders holding their shares in the Company through a financial intermediary should contact the financial intermediary if they have received no information with respect to the Rights Issue.
Listing and Commencement of trading of the new shares: Subject to timely payment of the entire subscription amount in the Rights Issue, it is expected that the new shares will be issued and delivered to the VPS accounts of the subscribers to whom they are allocated on or about 28 December 2023. The new shares allocated in the Rights Issue are expected to commence trading on Euronext Growth Oslo and Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden on or about 28 December 2023.
DNB Bank ASA, Issuer Services, is acting as receiving agent in the Rights Issue.
Advokatfirmaet Schjødt AS is acting as the Company's legal adviser in connection with the Rights Issue.
For further details of the terms of the Rights Issue, please refer to the Prospectus.
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This information is published in accordance with the requirements of the
Continuing Obligations set out in Euronext Growth Rule Book Part II for Euronext
Growth Oslo.
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For further information contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR, Zwipe
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
#####
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer
future. We work with great passion across networks of international
organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We
are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for
payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We
promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions,
ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and
services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
#####
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Publication, release or distribution of this press release may in certain jurisdictions be subject to legal restrictions and persons in the jurisdictions where this press release has been made public or distributed should be informed of and follow such legal restrictions. The recipient of this press release is responsible for using this press release and the information herein in accordance with applicable rules in each jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or subscribe for any securities in Zwipe in any jurisdiction, either from Zwipe or from anyone else.
This press release is not a prospectus according to the definition in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 ("the Prospectus Regulation") and has not been approved by any regulatory authority in any jurisdiction. A prospectus will be prepared by the Company and published on the Company's website after the prospectus has been reviewed and approved by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Sw. Finansinspektionen).
This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or subscribe for securities in the United States. The securities mentioned herein may not be sold in the United States without registration, or without an exemption from registration, under the U.S. Securities Act from 1933 ("Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold within the United States without being registered, covered by an exemption from, or part of a transaction that is not subject to the registration requirements according to the Securities Act. There is no intention to register any securities mentioned herein in the United States or to issue a public offering of such securities in the United States. The information in this press release may not be released, published, copied, reproduced or distributed, directly or indirectly, wholly or in part, in or to Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa, the United States or any other jurisdiction where the release, publication or distribution of this information would violate current rules or where such an action is subject to legal restrictions or would require additional registration or other measures beyond those that follow from Swedish and Norwegian law. Actions in contravention of this instruction may constitute a violation of applicable securities legislation.
Offers to the public will be permitted in Sweden and Norway from and including the date of approval of the prospectus by the competent authority in Sweden and the competent authority in Norway has been notified in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, through to and including the end of the subscription period in the Rights Issue.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements related to the Company's intentions, estimates or expectations with regard to the Company's future results, financial position, liquidity, development, outlook, estimated growth, strategies and opportunities as well as the markets in which the Company is active. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not refer to historical facts and can be identified by the use of terms such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "will," "may," "implies," "should," "could" and, in each case, their negative, or comparable terminology. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on various assumptions, which in several cases are based on further assumptions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no guarantee that they will occur or that they are correct. Since these assumptions are based on assumptions or estimates and involve risks and uncertainties, actual results or outcomes, for many different reasons, may differ materially from those what is stated in the forward-looking statements. Due to such risks, uncertainties, eventualities and other significant factors, actual events may differ materially from the expectations that expressly or implicitly are contained in this press release through the forward-looking statements. The Company does not guarantee that the assumptions which serve as a basis for the forward-looking statements in this press release are correct, and each reader of the press release should not rely on the forward-looking statements in this press release. The information, opinions and forward-looking statements that expressly or implicitly are stated herein are provided only as of the date of this press release and may change. Neither the Company nor any other party will review, update, confirm or publicly announce any revision of any forward-looking statement to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise with respect to the contents of this press release, beyond what is required by law or Euronext Growth Oslo or Nasdaq First North Growth Market's rules for issuers.
NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO RUSSIA, BELARUS, AUSTRALIA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, SWITZERLAND, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH ACTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO ACQUIRE SECURITIES IN ZWIPE AS. SEE THE "IMPORTANT INFORMATION" SECTION BELOW.
OSLO, NORWAY - 24 NOVEMBER 2023 - Zwipe AS (“Zwipe” or the “Company”) announces that the prospectus relating to the Company’s rights issue of units consisting of shares and warrants (the “Rights Issue”) has been approved and registered by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority and is available on the Company’s website www.zwipe.com and will also be available on the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority’s website, www.fi.se.
The prospectus can be ordered from Zwipe by e-mail: ir@zwipe.com subject to certain legal restrictions. The prospectus is available on the Company’s website, https://www.zwipe.com/investors/reports, and will also be available on the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority’s website, http://www.fi.se.
Timetable for the Rights Issue
Advisors
Hagberg & Aneborn Fondkommission is the financial advisor and Advokatfirman Schjødt is the legal advisor to Zwipe in connection with the Rights Issue.
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book - Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 13.00 CET on 24 November 2023.
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For further information contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR, Zwipe
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
##########
Important information
Publication, release or distribution of this press release may in certain jurisdictions be subject to legal restrictions and persons in the jurisdictions where this press release has been made public or distributed should be informed of and follow such legal restrictions. The recipient of this press release is responsible for using this press release and the information herein in accordance with applicable rules in each jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or subscribe for any securities in Zwipe in any jurisdiction, either from Zwipe or from anyone else.
This press release is not a prospectus according to the definition in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 ("the Prospectus Regulation") and has not been approved by any regulatory authority in any jurisdiction. A prospectus regarding the Rights Issue described in this press release has been registered with the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority and is kept available at, inter alia, Zwipe's website.
This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or subscribe for securities in the United States. The securities mentioned herein may not be sold in the United States without registration, or without an exemption from registration, under the U.S. Securities Act from 1933 ("Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold within the United States without being registered, covered by an exemption from, or part of a transaction that is not subject to the registration requirements according to the Securities Act. There is no intention to register any securities mentioned herein in the United States or to issue a public offering of such securities in the United States. The information in this press release may not be released, published, copied, reproduced or distributed, directly or indirectly, wholly or in part, in or to Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa, the United States or any other jurisdiction where the release, publication or distribution of this information would violate current rules or where such an action is subject to legal restrictions or would require additional registration or other measures beyond those that follow from Swedish and Norwegian law. Actions in contravention of this instruction may constitute a violation of applicable securities legislation.
Offers to the public will be permitted in Sweden and Norway from and including the date of approval of the prospectus by the competent authority in Sweden and the competent authority in Norway has been notified in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, through to and including the end of the subscription period in the Rights Issue.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements related to the Company's intentions, estimates or expectations with regard to the Company's future results, financial position, liquidity, development, outlook, estimated growth, strategies and opportunities as well as the markets in which the Company is active. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not refer to historical facts and can be identified by the use of terms such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "will," "may," "implies," "should," "could" and, in each case, their negative, or comparable terminology. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on various assumptions, which in several cases are based on further assumptions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no guarantee that they will occur or that they are correct. Since these assumptions are based on assumptions or estimates and involve risks and uncertainties, actual results or outcomes, for many different reasons, may differ materially from those what is stated in the forward-looking statements. Due to such risks, uncertainties, eventualities and other significant factors, actual events may differ materially from the expectations that expressly or implicitly are contained in this press release through the forward-looking statements. The Company does not guarantee that the assumptions which serve as a basis for the forward-looking statements in this press release are correct, and each reader of the press release should not rely on the forward-looking statements in this press release. The information, opinions and forward-looking statements that expressly or implicitly are stated herein are provided only as of the date of this press release and may change. Neither the Company nor any other party will review, update, confirm or publicly announce any revision of any forward-looking statement to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise with respect to the contents of this press release, beyond what is required by law or Euronext Growth Oslo or Nasdaq First North Growth Market's rules for issuers.
Issuer name: Zwipe AS
Ex. date: 23 November 2023
Type of corporate action: Rights issue
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer
future. We work with great passion across networks of international
organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We
are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for
payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We
promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions,
ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and
services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
########
This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the
continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo.
########
For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 22 November 2023 - Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS (the "Company" or "Zwipe") on 8 November 2023 and the notice dated 8 November 2023 of an extraordinary general meeting in the Company to be held on 22 November 2023 (the "EGM").
All the items on the agenda were addressed and approved. Attached are the minutes of the EGM. The attendants of the EGM represented 33.26% of the votes in the company.
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book – Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 12:00 on 22 November 2023.
######
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence. To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
######
For more information, please contact
Danielle Glenn
CFO and Head of IR, Zwipe AS
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 8 NOVEMBER 2023 - Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS (the "Company" or "Zwipe") earlier on 8 November 2023, regarding a contemplated rights issue in the Company, raising gross proceeds of approximately NOK 35 million (the "Rights Issue”). In relation thereto, the Board of Directors of Zwipe (the "Board") calls for an Extraordinary General Meeting (the "EGM") to be held on 22 November 2023 at 10:00 (CET). The general meeting will be held as a virtual meeting on Microsoft Teams.
Please find attached the notice to the EGM. The notice is also available on the Company's website, https://zwipe.com/investors.
The deadline for registration of attendance, proxies and advance voting for direct shareholders is 21 November 2023 at 16:00 hours (CET). Holders of nominee registered shares must register attendance, proxies and advance voting no later than within 20 November 2023 at 16:00 hours (CET). Shareholders are encouraged to register their notice of attendance and proxies via the link found here: https://zwipe.com/investors/general-meetings
Alternatively, the attached notice of attendance and proxy forms may be sent by e-mail to genf@dnb.no, or by regular post to DNB Bank ASA, Registrar's Department, P.O.Box 1600 Sentrum, 0021 Oslo, Norway.
In order to receive the link to the Microsoft Teams meeting, Zwipe's administration will need to have the shareholder's or proxy holder's e-mail address in advance. Thus, shareholders must after having registered their attendance also register their or its proxy's e-mail address by sending an email to ir@zwipe.com.
The Board has proposed the following agenda:
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
########
This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book – Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 15:00 CET on 8 November 2023.
########
For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
ir@zwipe.com
THIS PRESS RELEASE MAY NOT BE MADE PUBLIC, PUBLISHED OR DISTRIBUTED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, SWITZERLAND, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA, THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH ACTIONS, WHOLLY OR IN PART, WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO BUY SECURITIES IN ZWIPE AS. SEE ALSO THE SECTION "IMPORTANT INFORMATION" BELOW IN THIS DOCUMENT.
Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS ("Zwipe" or the "Company") on 8 November 2023, in which the Company announced that its board of directors has resolved to propose that the Company carries out a new issue of units, each consisting of one share and one warrant, with preferential rights for existing shareholders amounting to approximately NOK 35 million (the "Rights Issue").
Date on which the terms and conditions of the rights issue were announced: 8 November 2023
Ex-date: 23 November 2023
Date of approval: 22 November 2023
Record Date: 24 November 2023
Maximum number of new shares: 58,413,732
Maximum number of new warrants: 58,413,732
Subscription price per share: 0.60 per share
Ratio preferential rights: One right per share held in the Company
Subscription ratio: One right entitles the holder to subscribe for one share and one warrant
Manager and bookrunner: Hagberg & Aneborn Fondkommission AB
Settlement agent: DNB Bank ASA
Will the rights be listed: The Company will apply for listing of the rights on Euronext Growth and Nasdaq First Growth Market
ISIN for the rights: To be announced when assigned
Other information:
The Rights Issue is structured in a manner where each right gives the holder the right to subscribe for one share and one warrant (Norwegian: frittstående tegningsrett), with a combined subscription price of NOK 0.60, representing a subscription price per share of NOK 0.60 and no consideration for the warrant. Each warrant holder may exercise all or some of its warrants in the period beginning on 2 December 2024 and ending on 13 December 2024. Two warrants give the right to require issue of one ordinary share. Exercise shall be carried out by written notice, which shall be received by the Company within the abovementioned exercise period. The subscription price upon exercise of the warrants shall for subscription of one share in the Company be 70% of the ten-day VWAP (Volume Weighted Average Price) Company's shares on Euronext Growth Oslo the last ten (10) trading days prior to commencement of the Exercise Period, but never lower than NOK 0.10 per share and never higher than 1.20 per share.
Out of the maximum number of new shares to be issued in the rights issue, a maximum of 14,367,509 new shares will be issued to the part of the shareholder based which trades shares in Norway through Euronext Securities Oslo (VPS) (the "Norwegian Offering"), and a maximum of 44,046,223 new shares will be issued to the part of the shareholder based which trades shares in Sweden through Euroclear Sweden AB (the "Swedish Offering"). The split is based on the relationship between the trade in the two countries as per the end of 7 November 2023, and there will from and including 7 November 2023 temporarily be imposed a block for repositioning of trading in the shares in the Company between the two systems until and including the record date in the Rights Issue.
In the Swedish Offering, the subscription price of NOK 0.60 shall be settled in SEK, and will be fixed at SEK 0.59, based on the European Central Bank's published exchange rate on 7 November 2023. According to the Norwegian Private Limited Liability Companies Act (the "NPLCA") regulations, settlements in a currency other than NOK are considered as an in-kind contribution, and the Board has in this respect prepared a statement in accordance with the NPLCA Section 2-6, cf. Section 10-2, which will be confirmed by the Company's auditor, BDO AS. The Board's statement with the auditor's confirmation, will be made available at the Company's website: www.zwipe.com.
This information is published in accordance with the requirements of the continuing obligations for issuers listed on Euronext Growth.
For further information contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR, Zwipe
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Publication, release or distribution of this press release may in certain jurisdictions be subject to legal restrictions and persons in the jurisdictions where this press release has been made public or distributed should be informed of and follow such legal restrictions. The recipient of this press release is responsible for using this press release and the information herein in accordance with applicable rules in each jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or subscribe for any securities in Zwipe in any jurisdiction, either from Zwipe or from anyone else.
This press release is not a prospectus according to the definition in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 ("the Prospectus Regulation") and has not been approved by any regulatory authority in any jurisdiction. A prospectus will be prepared by the Company and published on the Company's website after the prospectus has been reviewed and approved by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Sw. Finansinspektionen).
This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or subscribe for securities in the United States. The securities mentioned herein may not be sold in the United States without registration, or without an exemption from registration, under the U.S. Securities Act from 1933 ("Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold within the United States without being registered, covered by an exemption from, or part of a transaction that is not subject to the registration requirements according to the Securities Act. There is no intention to register any securities mentioned herein in the United States or to issue a public offering of such securities in the United States. The information in this press release may not be released, published, copied, reproduced or distributed, directly or indirectly, wholly or in part, in or to Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa, the United States or any other jurisdiction where the release, publication or distribution of this information would violate current rules or where such an action is subject to legal restrictions or would require additional registration or other measures beyond those that follow from Swedish and Norwegian law. Actions in contravention of this instruction may constitute a violation of applicable securities legislation.
Offers to the public will be permitted in Sweden and Norway from and including the date of approval of the prospectus by the competent authority in Sweden and the competent authority in Norway has been notified in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, through to and including the end of the subscription period in the Rights Issue.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements related to the Company's intentions, estimates or expectations with regard to the Company's future results, financial position, liquidity, development, outlook, estimated growth, strategies and opportunities as well as the markets in which the Company is active. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not refer to historical facts and can be identified by the use of terms such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "will," "may," "implies," "should," "could" and, in each case, their negative, or comparable terminology. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on various assumptions, which in several cases are based on further assumptions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no guarantee that they will occur or that they are correct. Since these assumptions are based on assumptions or estimates and involve risks and uncertainties, actual results or outcomes, for many different reasons, may differ materially from those what is stated in the forward-looking statements. Due to such risks, uncertainties, eventualities and other significant factors, actual events may differ materially from the expectations that expressly or implicitly are contained in this press release through the forward-looking statements. The Company does not guarantee that the assumptions which serve as a basis for the forward-looking statements in this press release are correct, and each reader of the press release should not rely on the forward-looking statements in this press release. The information, opinions and forward-looking statements that expressly or implicitly are stated herein are provided only as of the date of this press release and may change. Neither the Company nor any other party will review, update, confirm or publicly announce any revision of any forward-looking statement to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise with respect to the contents of this press release, beyond what is required by law or Euronext Growth Oslo or Nasdaq First North Growth Market's rules for issuers.
THIS PRESS RELEASE MAY NOT BE MADE PUBLIC, PUBLISHED OR DISTRIBUTED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, SWITZERLAND, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA, THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH ACTIONS, WHOLLY OR IN PART, WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO BUY SECURITIES IN ZWIPE AS. SEE ALSO THE SECTION "IMPORTANT INFORMATION" BELOW IN THIS DOCUMENT.
OSLO, NORWAY – 8 NOVEMBER 2023 - The board of directors (the "Board") of Zwipe AS ("Zwipe" or the "Company") has today, 7 November 2023, resolved to propose that the Company carries out a new issue of units, consisting of shares and warrants, with preferential rights for existing shareholders raising gross proceeds of approximately NOK 35.0 million (the "Rights Issue"). Approximately NOK 24.5 million of the Rights Issue is guaranteed through subscription commitments and so-called bottom guarantee commitments. Furthermore, the Company has received a so-called top guarantee commitment of an amount corresponding to approximately NOK 10.5 million. In the event that the top guarantor needs to fulfill its top guarantee commitment, the subscription amount shall be paid to the Company by the top guarantor subscribing for a convertible loan in the Company (the "Convertible Loan"). Thus, the Board has also resolved to propose that the Company carries out a new issue of the Convertible Loan of up to approximately NOK 10.5 million. The subscription commitments, the bottom guarantee commitments and the top guarantee commitment, entail that the Company shall receive at least approximately NOK 35.0 million before issue costs in connection with the Rights Issue. The Rights Issue and the new issue of the Convertible Loan requires approval by the extraordinary general meeting of the Company expected to be held on 22 November 2023 (the "EGM") to be implemented. The notice of the EGM will be published in a separate press release.
Background and reason for the Rights Issue
Zwipe is a Norwegian biometric authentication technology company established in 2009, focused on developing and commercializing secure, fast, and easy-to-use biometric authentication solutions with broad applications across key verticals such as payments and access control.
Zwipe continues to make considerable progress within Zwipe Pay even if market adoption during 2023 has been slower than anticipated. Zwipe has more than 20 partners worldwide, and Zwipe’s partners are currently in discussions with more than 50 potential issuers regarding pilots and launches of biometric payment cards (“BPCs”) based on Zwipe’s platform. In the second quarter of 2023, Kuwait International Bank and Middle East Payment Services were responsible for the first commercial launches of Zwipe’s biometric payment cards. Discussions are ongoing about introducing BPCs to wider segments of their customer base in fairly short order. These two launches have also attracted significant attention from other financial institutions in the region, and several banks are considering going straight to a commercial pre-launch of BPCs and skipping over a typically lengthy pilot period. In Europe and APAC, Zwipe and its partners are intently focusing on launching BPCs with fintechs, who have the potential to move faster in deploying BPCs than more traditional banks.
Within Access, Zwipe continues to foster strategic partnerships that enhance reach and credibility within the industry. Zwipe’s partners include such major players as Schneider Electric, Certego, AWT, MC Dean, and Matrix and proofs of concept and testing are currently being carried out with clients such as Berkshire Hathaway Energy Group, Richmond International Airport, Prosegur Grupo, global Top 100 tech company, and a global Top 3 cloud services provider.
In June 2023, the company announced a streamlining and the full effects of that streamlining are only being seen now in the fourth quarter 2023. H1 2024 operational costs are expected to be more than 40% lower than H1 2023. Management and the Board continue to evaluate strategic options and ways to operate the company in the most cost-efficient manner possible.
The Rights Issue is carried out in order to strengthen the Company's financial
position and to accelerate the commercialization of Zwipe’s biometric cards within payments and access control. Zwipe has made substantial progress in both Zwipe Pay and Zwipe Access, which the Company anticipates will translate to meaningful commercial traction and revenue in the coming quarters. With the company operating in a very cost-efficient manner, proceeds from the rights issue alongside available cash and possible additional cost saving measures are expected to support the Company throughout 2024 and in its transition to a phase of sustainable, long-term commercial success.
Robert Puskaric, CEO of Zwipe comments:
"Zwipe continues to see strong interest in bringing both biometric payment and access control cards to market globally. While commercial launches have not happened as fast as we would have liked thus far, signs still point to market adoption happening in the coming quarters. Proceeds from the rights issue will give us more financial flexibility and enable us to execute on our commercial objectives for both Zwipe Pay and Zwipe Access. We are operating in an efficient and agile manner and proceeds from the rights issue should support us in achieving significant commercial traction and positioning the company for sustainable, profitable growth."
Key terms of the Rights Issue
The Board has today resolved to propose that the EGM resolves on the Rights Issue of 58,413,732 transferable subscription rights (the "Subscription Rights") with preferential rights for existing shareholders, whereby one Subscription Right gives the right to subscribe for one unit ("Unit") consisting of (i) a new share in the Company, each with a nominal value of NOK 0.10, and (ii) a warrant of series T01 (the "Warrants") for a subscription price of NOK 0.60 per Unit. Two Warrants give the right to subscribe for one ordinary share in the Company in the period beginning on 2 December 2024 and ending on 13 December 2024. The subscription price in the Rights Issue is NOK 0.60 per Unit on Euronext Growth Oslo and SEK 0.59 per Unit on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden. The subscription price per share corresponds to the subscription price per Unit. Thus, the Warrants are issued free of charge. Upon full subscription, the Company will initially receive approximately NOK 35.0 million in gross proceeds. If Warrants are exercised, the Company will receive additional proceeds in December 2024.
The shareholders of the Company on 22 November 2023 (and being registered as such in the Norwegian Central Securities Depository, Euronext Securities Oslo, (the "VPS") as at the expiry of 24 November 2023 (the "record date") will be granted one (1) Subscription Right for each share registered as held by the shareholder as of the record date. One (1) Subscription Right is required to subscribe for one (1) Unit. Each Unit consists of one (1) new share and one (1) Warrant.
Subscription of Units with or without preferential rights shall take place during the period 28 November 2023 - 13 December 2023. Subscription Rights that are not exercised during the subscription period become invalid and lose their value. Trading in Subscription Rights takes place on Nasdaq First North Growth Market and Euronext Growth Oslo during the period 28 November 2023 – 7 December 2023.
Pursuant to Section 10-4 of the Norwegian Private Limited Companies Act, the shareholders of the Company at the day of the EGM (as registered in the Company's shareholder register in VPS two trading days thereafter (the "EGM Record Date")), and who are not resident in a jurisdiction where such offering would be unlawful or, would (in jurisdictions other than Norway) require any prospectus, filing, registration or similar action, will be granted a preferential right to subscribe for and be allocated the new shares in proportion to the number of shares in the Company they own as of the EGM Record Date (the "Existing Shareholding"), and will receive Subscription Rights proportionate to their Existing Shareholding. The Company expects to apply for admission to trading of the Subscription Rights on Euronext Growth Oslo and Nasdaq First North Growth Market Stockholm.
Units will be allocated in the Rights Issue in accordance with the following criteria:
Two (2) Warrants entitle, during the period 2 December 2023 - 13 December 2024, to the subscription of one (1) new share in Zwipe at an exercise price corresponding to 70 percent of the volume-weighted average price paid for Zwipe's share on Euronext Growth Oslo during the 10 trading days that precedes the exercise period, however not less than NOK 0.10 and not more than NOK 1.20.
There will from and including 7 November 2023 temporarily be imposed a block for repositioning of trading in the shares in the Company between Euronext Securities Oslo (VPS) and Euroclear Sweden AB until and including the record date in the Rights Issue.Full terms and conditions for the Rights Issue as well as other information about the Company will be described in the EU Growth Prospectus, which is expected to be published around 24 November 2023.
Subscription commitments and bottom guarantee commitments
In connection with the Rights Issue, the Company has received subscription commitments from a number of existing shareholders totaling approximately NOK 8.8 million, corresponding to approximately 25 percent of the Rights Issue. No compensation is paid for these subscription commitments.
In addition, Zwipe has received so-called bottom guarantee commitments of approximately NOK 15.8 million. Through the bottom guarantees, provided that subscription takes place to an amount at least equivalent to the subscription commitments, approximately 70 percent of the issue proceeds in the Rights issue is secured. For the so-called bottom guarantees, a compensation of thirteen (13) percent of the guaranteed amount is paid.
The subscription commitments and bottom guarantee commitments are not secured by bank guarantee, escrow funds, pledging or similar arrangements.
Detailed information regarding the parties that have entered into subscription commitments and guarantee undertakings will be found in the EU Growth Prospectus which is planned to be published around 24 November 2023.
Top guarantee commitment and new issue of the Convertible Loan and Warrants pursuant to the top guarantee commitment
Zwipe has received a so-called top guarantee of approximately NOK 10.5 million. Through the top guarantee, provided that subscription takes place to an amount at least equivalent to the subscription commitments and the bottom guarantee commitments, 100 percent of the issue proceeds in the Rights Issue is secured. For the so-called top guarantee, a compensation of fifteen (15) percent of the guaranteed amount is paid. The top guarantee commitment is not secured by bank guarantee, escrow funds, pledging or similar arrangements.
In the event that the top guarantor needs to fulfill its top guarantee commitment, the subscription amount shall be paid to the Company by the top guarantor subscribing for the Convertible Loan. Thus, the Board has also resolved to propose that the Company carries out a new issue of the Convertible Loan of up to approximately NOK 10.5 million.
The total subscription price for the Convertible Loan will be equivalent to the total subscription price of the Rights Issue, minus the subscription price of the units subscribed by the existing shareholders of the Company and the units subscribed by the bottom guarantors. However, the subscription price shall not be less than NOK 5.0 million. For instance, if the Rights Issue is subscribed to 75%, the top guarantor will subscribe in the Convertible Loan for 25% of the Rights Issue. If the Convertible Loan is subscribed to 95%, the Top Guarantor will subscribe for 5% of the Rights Issue, adjusted up to an amount equal to base amount of NOK 5.0 million. This means that the total potential funds raised in the Rights Issue and the Convertible Loan could amount to approximately NOK 40.0 million in aggregate.
The Convertible Loan carries an annual interest rate of 10 percent + STIBOR 3M of the loan amount. The interest will be paid by the Company quarterly in cash. The maturity date of the Convertible Loan is 20 December 2024, to the extent conversion has not taken place before such date. The conversion price is 130 percent of subscription price in the Rights issue, which is equal to NOK 0.78 per share.
The top guarantor will also have the right and obligation to subscribe for Warrants free of charge in relation to the subscription price for the Convertible Loan. The number of Warrants the top guarantor shall be entitled to subscribe for will amount to the maximum number of Units in the Rights Issue less the aggregate number of Units subscribed for by existing shareholders in the Company and Units subscribed for under the bottom guarantee commitments divided by 0.78.
Detailed information regarding the top guarantor will be found in the EU Growth Prospectus which is planned to be published around 24 November 2023.
Preliminary time plan for the Rights Issue
22 November 2023: Last trading day including the right to receive subscription rights
23 November 2023: First trading day excluding the right to receive subscription rights
24 November 2023: Publication of prospectus
24 November 2023: Record date for participation in the Rights Issue
28 November – 7 December 2023: Trading in subscription rights at Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden and Euronext Growth Market Oslo
28 November – 12 December 2023: Subscription period on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden
28 November – 13 December 2023: Subscription period on Euronext Growth Market Oslo
13 December 2023: Publication of preliminary outcome of the Rights Issue
Change in share capital, number of shares and dilution
Based on the outstanding number of shares as of today, the share capital in the Company increases through the Rights Issue by a maximum of NOK 5,841,373.20, from NOK 5,841,373.20 to NOK 11,682,746.40, through the issuance of a maximum of 58,413,732 shares. The number of shares increases from 58,413,732 to a maximum of 116,827,464 shares. For existing shareholders who do not participate in the Rights Issue, this implies a dilution effect of 50.0 percent in the case of full subscription.
Upon full subscription in the Rights Issue and subsequent subscription of NOK 5 million in the Convertible Loan, the number of shares will increase by a further 6,410,256 to 123,237,720 shares and the share capital by NOK 641,025.60 to NOK 12,323,772.00 given full conversion of the Convertible Loan.
In the event that all outstanding warrants issued in the Rights issue are fully exercised for the subscription of new shares in Zwipe, the number of shares will increase by a further 29,206,866 to a total of 152,444,586 shares and the share capital will increase by NOK 2,920,686.60 to a total of NOK 15,244,458.60. In the event that all outstanding warrants issued in connection with the Convertible Loan are fully exercised for the subscription of new shares in Zwipe, the number of shares will increase by a further 3,205,128 to a total of 155,649,714 shares and the share capital will increase by 320,512.80 to a total of 15,564,971.40 SEK.
Extraordinary general meeting
The Rights Issue and the new issue of the Convertible Loan requires the approval by the EGM expected to be held on 22 November 2023 to be implemented. The notice of the EGM will be published in a separate press release.
Advisor
Zwipe has engaged Hagberg & Aneborn Fondkommission AB and Advokatfirmaet Schjødt AS as financial and legal advisors respectively in connection with the Rights Issue.
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This information is subject to the disclosure requirements in the Market Abuse
Regulation (EU 596/2014) and the Norwegian Securities Trading Act section 5-12,
and is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the
continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo
(Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book - Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth
Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se.
The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact
person set out below, at 07:30 on 8 November 2023.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer
future. We work with great passion across networks of international
organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We
are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for
payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We
promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions,
ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and
services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com
For further information contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR, Zwipe
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
Important information
Publication, release or distribution of this press release may in certain jurisdictions be subject to legal restrictions and persons in the jurisdictions where this press release has been made public or distributed should be informed of and follow such legal restrictions. The recipient of this press release is responsible for using this press release and the information herein in accordance with applicable rules in each jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or subscribe for any securities in Zwipe in any jurisdiction, either from Zwipe or from anyone else.
This press release is not a prospectus according to the definition in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 ("the Prospectus Regulation") and has not been approved by any regulatory authority in any jurisdiction. A prospectus will be prepared by the Company and published on the Company's website after the prospectus has been reviewed and approved by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Sw. Finansinspektionen).
This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or subscribe for securities in the United States. The securities mentioned herein may not be sold in the United States without registration, or without an exemption from registration, under the U.S. Securities Act from 1933 ("Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold within the United States without being registered, covered by an exemption from, or part of a transaction that is not subject to the registration requirements according to the Securities Act. There is no intention to register any securities mentioned herein in the United States or to issue a public offering of such securities in the United States. The information in this press release may not be released, published, copied, reproduced or distributed, directly or indirectly, wholly or in part, in or to Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa, the United States or any other jurisdiction where the release, publication or distribution of this information would violate current rules or where such an action is subject to legal restrictions or would require additional registration or other measures beyond those that follow from Swedish and Norwegian law. Actions in contravention of this instruction may constitute a violation of applicable securities legislation.
Offers to the public will be permitted in Sweden and Norway from and including the date of approval of the prospectus by the competent authority in Sweden and the competent authority in Norway has been notified in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, through to and including the end of the subscription period in the Rights Issue.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements related to the Company's intentions, estimates or expectations with regard to the Company's future results, financial position, liquidity, development, outlook, estimated growth, strategies and opportunities as well as the markets in which the Company is active. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not refer to historical facts and can be identified by the use of terms such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "will," "may," "implies," "should," "could" and, in each case, their negative, or comparable terminology. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on various assumptions, which in several cases are based on further assumptions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no guarantee that they will occur or that they are correct. Since these assumptions are based on assumptions or estimates and involve risks and uncertainties, actual results or outcomes, for many different reasons, may differ materially from those what is stated in the forward-looking statements. Due to such risks, uncertainties, eventualities and other significant factors, actual events may differ materially from the expectations that expressly or implicitly are contained in this press release through the forward-looking statements. The Company does not guarantee that the assumptions which serve as a basis for the forward-looking statements in this press release are correct, and each reader of the press release should not rely on the forward-looking statements in this press release. The information, opinions and forward-looking statements that expressly or implicitly are stated herein are provided only as of the date of this press release and may change. Neither the Company nor any other party will review, update, confirm or publicly announce any revision of any forward-looking statement to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise with respect to the contents of this press release, beyond what is required by law or Euronext Growth Oslo or Nasdaq First North Growth Market's rules for issuers.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA and OSLO, NORWAY – October 23, 2023 – TADERA is proud to announce its participation at the 2023 ACI-NA PS&S / ACC Security Technology Conference, where we will showcase the groundbreaking Airport Secure Credential (ASC) Biometric Access Cards powered by Zwipe’s revolutionary biometric-system-on-card (BSoC) technology.
TADERA collaborated with Zwipe to harness this unique and cutting-edge technology for biometric smart cards specifically designed for access control at airports. These ASC Access Cards feature built-in fingerprint sensors, ensuring the authenticity of cardholders at all secure entry points. Additionally, these cards seamlessly integrate with all existing NFC card readers, allowing airports to implement two-factor authentication without the need for hardware upgrades of any kind, saving significant capital investment dollars.
During the event, TADERA will be offering live demonstrations of the enrollment process and access control system authentication.
"As the President of TADERA, I am happy to announce our sponsorship and participation in the 2023 ACI-NA PS&S / ACC Security Technology Conference. Using the platform of this event, we’re thrilled to re-introduce our AirportIQ platform of products to the airport space, in which these 2FA cards play an important role. Our collaboration with Zwipe, showcased through the AirportSecure Credential (ASC) Biometric Access Cards, exemplifies our dedication to providing cutting-edge solutions to the airport sector," said Tim Walsh, President of TADERA.
Zwipe’s CEO, Robert Puskaric, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: "We are honored and proud to showcase TADERA's Airport Secure Credential Access (ASC) biometric Card powered by Zwipe during the ACI-NA Security Technology Conference. Our collaboration, which began with theProof-of-Concept (PoC) at Richmond International Airport earlier this year as part of The National Safe Skies Alliance Airport Security System Integrated Support Testing (ASSIST) program, is a testament to our strong partnership in delivering innovative solutions to enhance security at American airports."
About Tadera
TADERA's commitment to the airport sector spans over 40 years, culminating in our transformation into TADERA from Civix. Our mission is to enhance the safety, security, and financial stability of airports, ensuring world-class facilities for passengers and cargo transport. The name TADERA reflects our dedication to facilitating Transportation, Aviation, and Destinations in the next era of airtravel. We provide software and integrated technology solutions that elevate the safety and financial performance of airports. TADERA serves the Federal Aviation Administration, state aeronautics departments, and more than 100 airports worldwide.
Learn more about us at www.tadera.com.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes in the inherent uniqueness of every individual, paving the way for a safer future. We passionately collaborate across international networks,industries, and cultures to make convenience both secure and safe. At Zwipe, we pioneer next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment, physical and logical access control, and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insights and frictionless solutions, ensuring aseamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. With our headquarters in Oslo, Norway, and a global presence, we are shaping the future of security.
Learn more at www.zwipe.com.
OSLO, NORWAY – 31 January 2021 – Zwipe AS, a biometric fintech pioneering the development of next generation biometric solutions in payments and access control, has appointed Danielle Glenn as its new CFO and Head of IR effective from 1 May 2022.
Ms. Glenn (44) will join Zwipe from her current position as CFO of Arctic Bioscience AS, a Norwegian biotech company. While at Arctic Bioscience, Ms. Glenn managed the company’s capital markets activities including its MNOK 300 IPO on Euronext Growth Market in Oslo in February 2021. In addition to her responsibilities as CFO, she was also responsible for Investor Relations and heavily involved in setting the company’s overall strategic, commercial, operating and investment plans. At Zwipe, she will help lead the company through its next phase of international commercialization as the company approaches mass volume rollout of biometric cards withing payments and access control.
“Zwipe is continually expanding the commercial and strategic opportunities for its unique biometric technology. Danielle’s background as a CFO operating at the intersection of finance, commercial operations, technology and investor relations in fast-growing companies as well as her deep experience from international capital markets will provide us with the financial skill set we need to increase long-term stakeholder value in the coming years,” says André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
Prior to joining Arctic Bioscience, Ms. Glenn worked in several management roles with start-up and scale-up companies in Norway upon moving to Oslo in 2016. She spent the majority of her career in London and New York, working at Goldman Sachs, Caxton Associates and Bywater Capital as a global macro hedge fund manager and Chief Investment Officer. Ms. Glenn graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a BA in History and Science.
“I am impressed by the innovation Zwipe is demonstrating in the fintech space, honoured by the confidence management and the Board has placed in me, and excited to help build upon Zwipe’s strong commercial and technological momentum. I very much look forward to joining a Norwegian company with global ambitions and an impressive international team,” says Ms. Glenn.
Ms. Glenn will take over from Lars Kristian Solheim who has decided to pursue other opportunities. Mr. Solheim has been the CFO since March 2020 and continues as CFO of the company through April 2022.
“On behalf of the whole management team and Board, I would like to thank Lars Kristian for his hard work and unquestionable dedication. He has acted as CFO during an important and transformative stage in our growth story, providing valuable contributions and wise counsel. I wish him the very best in all his future endeavours,” says Mr. Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
For further information, please contact:
André Løvestam
CEO of Zwipe AS
Phone: +47 934 36 952
Email: andre@zwipe.com
This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation on Euronext Growth Oslo and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Stockholm. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0) 8528 00 399. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 13:30 CET on 31 January 2022.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. The company works across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. Zwipe is pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payments, physical & logical access control, and identification solutions. The company promises customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
OSLO, NORWAY – 20 January 2022 – Primary insider André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe AS (the "Company"), has today exercised 384,000 stock options, each giving the right to acquire one share in the Company at a strike price of NOK 10.00. The stock options have been allocated to André Løvestam under the Company's stock option incentive program. After completion of the transaction, André Løvestam will, through Energetic AS and privately, own 1,300,000 shares and hold 306,000 options, each giving the right to acquire one share in the Company.
Attached is a copy of the form submitted to the Norwegian FSA, Finanstilsynet, reporting the transaction as listed above:
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About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards components and wearables technology that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For more information, please contact:
Lars Kristian Solheim, CFO
+47 991 661 35
lars.kristian@zwipe.com
This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation on Euronext Growth Oslo and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Stockholm. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0) 8528 00 399. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 12:45 CET on 20 January 2022.
OSLO, NORWAY and PARIS, FRANCE – 19 January 2022 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and K2 sas, an affiliate of Cards Systems Group (CSG) and a leading provider of payment card personalization solutions in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) have partnered to address the growing demand for biometric payment solutions in the region. Together with CSG, the parties will bring the next generation payment cards to the MEA region and France.
CSG is an international service and integrated solution provider for card management systems. Founded in 2008, it operates in over 20 countries to offer turnkey card payment and issuance solutions. The group works with major banks, personalization bureaus and card manufacturers to ensure their delivery readiness and provide the latest technology and security standards set by Mastercard, Visa and regulators. Currently CSG’s solutions are utilized by 100 customers and over 10 million payment cards annually.
Speaking on the partnership, Bassam Al Khatib, Chief Executive Officer of K2, said: “Our collaboration with Zwipe will be a catalyst in accelerating the deployment of biometric payment cards across the MEA region and France, markets well-known to us. It is time for banks to embrace next generation contactless cards using the cutting-edge biometric technology that Zwipe brings to the payment marketplace and end users. We will leverage our large network of existing bank clients to conduct multiple pilots, starting already in H1 2022, followed by commercial launches”.
Zwipe will provide K2 and CSG with technical support and services for the implementation of Zwipe Pay biometric cards including value added services for issuers. These cards will be manufactured and delivered by Zwipe’s certified smart card manufacturers in the region.
“K2 and CSG are very important additions in our fast-growing delivery ecosystem and will be a key enabler for our accelerated growth in the MEA region and France. The Group is also a highly respected brand in delivering card personalization solutions and trusted by leading banks in the entire region. I am confident that this partnership will lead to multiple commercial launches of Biometric Payment Cards,” said Ramzi Saboury, General Manager at Zwipe for MENA region.
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About K2 / Cards Systems Group
A team of EMV specialists that joined forces in 2009 to establish an aggressive and farsighted organization. K2, an affiliate of the group, was created in 2017 to find solutions ahead of time through anticipating problems that businesses might encounter in today’s dynamic market. The group serves hundreds of satisfied clients from eleven different countries spreading over four continents. CSG aspire to be the partner of choice for the card business in the Middle East and Africa region.
To learn more, visit www.k2ss.fr, cardsysa2z.com
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries, and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 6135 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – 31st December 2021 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and Forzacard, the leading domestic card manufacturer in Mexico, have agreed to develop and launch biometric cards powered by Zwipe and bring these innovations to banks and organizations looking for the latest solutions based on biometric card-authentication in Central and North America.
Forzacard is a Mexico-City based 100% Mexican company, founded in 1991, delivering more than 25 million payment cards per year across multiple countries. The company has extensive operations in Central and North America and is part of Forzaform Group, one of the oldest and most respected industrial groups in the secure printing industry. Forzacard offers a wide range of payment products and services and is a Visa, MasterCard and Carnet certified manufacturer.
“Partnering with Zwipe to develop the next generation contactless experience aligns strongly with our mission of continuous innovation. Biometric capabilities uniquely combine convenience with security and safety, uplifting the card payment experience to completely new levels. Integrating Zwipe Pay ONE into our smart card program will be key to competing and securing future business in this fast-emerging segment.” says Mauricio Benavides President of Forzaform.
Starting with biometric payment cards, Zwipe will deliver the Zwipe Pay ONE technology platform, technical guidance, and market support services as part of the agreement.
Speaking on the partnership, André Løvestam, CEO at Zwipe says “Mexico is leading the way in the adoption of biometric payment cards in Central and North America. Partnering with Forzacard in Mexico will enable us to respond to a strong and growing demand for biometric payment cards from banks and payment service providers in that region.”
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About Forzacard
Forzacard has always been at the forefront of bringing payment innovations to banks in Mexico since its inception in 1991 and part of ForzaForm S.A. de C.V., a 100% Mexican Corporation of world class. The company’s growth is driven by its wide variety of products and processed materials alongside extensive R&D and continuous investments in emerging technologies, always guaranteeing highest levels of quality and security.
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards components and wearables technology that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free.
For more information contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135, info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and BEIRUT, LEBANON – 27 DECEMBER 2021 – Zwipe is pleased to announce that a medium sized bank in Levant has confirmed a pilot of biometric payment cards enabled with Zwipe Pay ONE in the first half of 2022. The bank is one of the leading brands in the wealth management segment serving thousands of high net-worth and affluent consumers. Zwipe’s single silicon biometric payment card platform has triggered a lot of interest across many markets in the Middle East where banks are well known to use modern digital platforms to deliver world-class user experience and security.
The bank will be supported with the pilot by one of Zwipe’s well-established strategic partners in the region, areeba, that was also amongst the first in the region to recognize the great potential of biometric payments when it launched pilots with many leading banks in the region in 2018. areeba is a well-recognized innovator in the region, pursuing a strategy of driving digital transformation and service excellence through modern technologies.
Speaking on this development, Maher Mikati, CEO at areeba said, “We are always seeking to make use of the latest technologies available to make life more convenient and safer for our esteemed clients. With biometric payments we will significantly enhance user experience and security of our card payment products. We are pleased to pilot the latest generation of biometric cards with Zwipe and this leading bank in wealth management and private banking in the region.”
Ramzi Saboury, General Manager of Zwipe in MENA Region said: “We are very proud that, just weeks after deciding to issue biometric payment cards for their customers in Lebanon and Iraq respectively, areeba is ready to issue biometric payment cards as a service to other issuers in collaboration with Zwipe. We are confident that the pilot will show how biometric payment cards can help the bank to attract new customers, uplift customer loyalty and ensure excellent returns from their payment portfolio. Zwipe will be supporting the bank through all stages of the pilot journey, ensuring smooth pilots with strong end user focus.”
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About areeba
areeba is an electronic payment technology company licensed by Visa and MasterCard and has an agreement with American Express & Discover. Established in 2017, areeba adopts the latest technologies and provides solutions and payment services to banks, governments and merchants to suit their aspirations and needs.
areeba offers services tailored to global requirements, from card issuance and management, non-contact payment solutions, contactless and mobile payment. It also provides merchants and governments with the latest e-commerce platform and point-of-sale machines that adopt the highest standards and safety systems. areeba operates a wide range of loyalty programs, including collecting points and miles, cashback programs, and providing consultancy services for the planning, design and development of electronic products and payment solutions.
For more information, visit www.areeba.com, or @areebalebanon on LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram. areeba media contact: Nouchka El Hage, +961-1-954325 - NHage@areeba.com
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit zwipe.com. For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135, info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY, HYDERABAD and PUNE, INDIA - 27 DECEMBER 2021 – Zwipe, KL HI-TECH and Easy Pay can confirm that they will pilot biometric payment cards in India, aiming for commercial launches by summer 2022. Easy Pay is one of the fastest growing payment brands in India whose services are used by over 2 million retail stores and millions of consumers. Zwipe is a fintech pioneering the development of next generation biometric payment solutions.
Founded in 2014, Easy Pay has grown rapidly to become a leading payment brand for merchants and consumers in India. “Paisa Nikal” is an AADHAR Enabled Payment Service (AEPS) which has been ideated and executed by Easy Pay allowing hassle-free and safe transactions for millions of users. In 2020, it processed payment transactions worth USD 8.4 billion (expected to reach USD 12 billion in 2021). Easy Pay has now decided to issue next generation biometric payment cards in collaboration with Zwipe and KL HI-TECH, Zwipe’s manufacturing partner in India.
Speaking on this development, Nilay Patel, Founder & CEO of Easy Pay said, “We are very pleased to bring the next generation contactless cards to India, enabling world-class security, safety and experience for our customers. We see many use cases for biometrics beyond payments, for example access cards for use in hotel chains, as well as high-end real-estate and smart city projects where we have long term contracts and a demanding client base. Following internal tests and external pilots we aim for commercial launches of biometric payment cards during summer of 2022.”
Besides the core biometric card technology, Zwipe will also support Easy Pay through all stages of the pilot ensuring that end users’ experiences and feedback are systematically captured and impact on business case thoroughly assessed.
André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe said, “We are proud to confirm our first pilot in India, one of the world’s largest and fastest growing payment markets. Easy Pay has been a pioneer in driving innovative payment services and biometrics will enable them to further drive differentiation based on security, safety, and user experience. We are delighted that our card manufacturing partner, KL HI-TECH, is part of this exciting journey which we very much look forward to pursuing together”.
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About Easy Pay
Easy Pay is an emerging Payment Solutions Company which is creating its own niche in the Fintech Industry. Formed by highly professional and technological advanced team members and backed by strong corporate ethics. The team works in bridging solutions mainly in the area of payments and bio-metrics. It is India’s upcoming payment domain that facilitates all kinds of payments for everyone and everywhere under one umbrella.
Paisa Nikal is an AADHAR Enabled Payment Service (AEPS) which is ideated & executed by Easy Pay which allows quick, hassle-free & safe transactions. This futuristic model is designed to empower retailers for making digital transactions fast & automated. We're offering comfort & convenience to both the retailers and consumers. Moreover, it even extends electronic payment services to large social strata of customers that do not have the means to pay electronically. It even manages payments for multiple institutional clients and provides them with innovative solutions for business expansion.
This unique business model allows facilitating payments with multiple modes such as cash, card, cheque, net-banking, e-wallet & etc. With much pride & enthusiasm, we're vigorously contributing to the #DigitalIndia Campaign!
Website: www.easypay.in
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries & cultures to make convenience safe & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit zwipe.com For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135, info@zwipe.com
About KL HI-TECH
KL HI-TECH Secure Print Limited (KLHT) is a leading provider of secure print products and printing solutions. Commencing its operations in 1988, KLHT has played a pioneering role in enabling secure payment transactions, banking services and facilitating tele communications in India through its secure print products. At its sprawling state-of-the-art highly secure manufacturing facility located in Hyderabad, the company operates using stringent global standards that are required to manufacture a range of security printing products. The company is certified by Visa, Mastercard & RuPay (National Payments Corporation of India). As per the Nilson Report (2020) KL HI-TECH is the 2nd largest banking card manufacturer in India and 31st largest banking card manufacturer in the world.
KLHT’s business ideology revolves around the prime objective of providing comprehensive, fool-proof security in critical secure print products. KLHT plays a pivotal role by manufacturing products for Banks and Financial Institutions, Central and State Governments, Educational Boards and Institutions, Telecom Sector, Nationwide Election Commissions and Transport Sector.
Exporting to over 52 countries across the Globe, KLHT aims to become one of the leading suppliers of secure print products globally, whilst also pioneering innovation and change to the way payments are made in India and across the globe.
For further information please contact Kartik Shekar, VP – Projects, kartik@klhitech.com, +91 8008 188 466
OSLO, NORWAY – 22 December 2021 – Zwipe has received a commercial order worth MNOK 0.6 for Zwipe Pay ONE. This is the first Zwipe Pay ONE order from this card manufacturer and will be delivered in Q1 2022.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY - 22 December 2021
With our eyes set on the long-awaited commercial breakthrough for Zwipe which now seems highly likely to happen in 2022, we have spent the last four years undergoing a transformation which has laid the foundation for Zwipe’s long-term success:
Each step on this journey, and each new partner and customer in our ecosystem, contributes to increasing the value creation potential and reducing the risk for Zwipe and its stakeholders. We have indeed come a long way in that regard.
A transformative year
Even on this backdrop, 2021 has been a transformative year for Zwipe:
Adding to our confidence in our future outlook is the universal evidence from numerous consumer surveys from diverse markets around the world that cardholders worldwide will benefit greatly from the touch-less and PIN-free experience with world-class security that is made possible by biometric payment and access control cards. Consumers’ strong trust in and demand for biometrics has been consistent with the findings from our industry peers and other analyst reports.
We also demonstrated Zwipe Pay ONE sample cards from several of our clients, showcased all the Zwipe Pay ONE components, and demonstrated live transactions with Zwipe Pay ONE enabled biometric cards, along with a range of innovative enrolment solutions, at TRUSTECH 2021 in Paris.
Figure 1: Zwipe Pay ONE based cards from Masria Digital Payments (Egypt). KL Hi-Tech (India), Tag Systems (Andorra), Toppan Forms (Hong Kong), Inkript (Lebanon) and Beautiful Cards Corporation (Taiwan).
Figure 2: Left-hand photos are the front and back of a transparent demo card based on Zwipe Pay ONE. Middle photos are the ZPO passive inlay and the ZPO enrolment sleeve, while the right-hand photos are ZPO module on reel (contact plate with single silicon secure element mounted on the back) and the IDX3405 sensor on 35mm tape.
Closing in on pilots and certification
Like most other companies engaged in multinational development projects, Zwipe has felt the effects of COVID-19 through added complexity, extended lead times and delays. I have been impressed by the grit and determination of my team and our technology partners, systematically overcoming the hurdles as they come.
Having said that, we have made good progress with many issuers that signed up for pilots through 2021. This ranges from running internal tests of biometric cards at issuers to helping their engagements with schemes and supporting them with guidance in preparing the issuing backend to process biometric payments. And feedback from customers has been great; “Paying has been super easy and fast”. That’s exactly what you want to hear from the field!
Next milestone is the submission of Zwipe Pay ONE based reference cards for certification by both VISA and Mastercard. Zwipe’s technology partner, Idemia, announced in November 2021, that it had obtained full certification from both schemes for its F.CODE biometric payment card. These certifications (Letters of Approval) represent full validation of the core components in our Zwipe Pay ONE platform, notably the shared single silicon biometric secure element, where Idemia and Zwipe have co-invested since 2019, and the IDX3405 fingerprint sensor from Idex Biometrics.
The Zwipers
Last, and most importantly, I want to express my deep gratitude to the exceptional Team of Zwipers around the world whose passion and grit continued to create so much value for our customers, partners, and shareholders through this challenging pandemic which has taken its toll on everyone. The purpose of our efforts is to give everyone the power of access by being themselves no matter where they are or who they are.
My sincere thanks also go out to all our customers, partners, and shareholders for sharing our mission and supporting our journey.
I wish each one of you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!
OSLO, NORWAY and BAGHDAD, IRAQ – 22 December 2021 - Zwipe and International Network for Cards and Digital Payment Services (INC) are pleased to confirm that they will pilot Biometric Payment Cards in Iraq. This will be the first biometric payment card pilot in the country. As one of the fastest growing cards and payments companies in Iraq, INC will be offering issuance of white label biometric cards as a service for banks and other payment companies.
In collaboration with Zwipe, INC will incorporate biometric payment cards in its portfolio and offer it as a standard payment product to its client banks in the Iraqi market, with the first client being INC’s own NEO Visa cards which will be introduced as the first biometric plastic cards in Iraq.
This development was made possible through INC’s strategic partner Nymcard which confirmed in September 2021 its collaboration with the Norwegian technology company Zwipe to bring biometric payment cards to the MENA region.
Speaking on this development, Zaid Fawzi, CEO and Founder of INC, said: “We are proud to step up our collaboration with Zwipe and bring the next generation contactless experience to Iraq. Our partnership with Zwipe has greatly strengthened INC’s mission to deliver payment solutions with state-of-the-art security and world-class user experience. Our pilot in Iraq with the NEO Visa cards will be the first step in bringing this fantastic product to other players in the market.”
General Manager for MENA region at Zwipe, Ramzi Saboury said: “Our partnership with NymCard and its subsidiaries in the region such as INC will greatly accelerate the deployment of next generation contactless cards. I am happy to launch this pilot project with INC in Iraq - a large market with huge growth potential. It is worth mentioning that the Central Bank of Iraq has already endorsed our initiative to bring biometric payment cards to Iraq and is encouraging all Iraqi banks to be part of this exciting innovation.”
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About INC
The International Network for Cards and digital payment services (INC) is an Iraqi registered company and holds a license as Issuer and Processor to practice business in electronic payments from the Central Bank of Iraq No. (7) according to Law No. (56) issued in 2004. Through its NEO brand, INC has released a state of the art mobile app featuring a digital wallet, and enabled online card payments to its customers via the first virtual Visa card in Iraq, in addition to other card programs such as NEO Visa Gift and NEO Visa Travel, available as physical plastic cards with the aim to increase financial inclusion in the Iraqi market.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries & cultures to make convenience safe & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135, info@zwipe.com