OSLO, NORWAY and ABU DHABI, UAE – 13 September 2021 – Zwipe and NymCard are joining forces to launch biometric payment cards in the Middle East and Africa. With the rapidly growing demand for safer and more secure payment solutions from fintechs and modern payment innovators, this collaboration will ensure a faster deployment of biometric payment cards in the region.
Based in Abu Dhabi, NymCard delivers a state-of-the-art payment card issuing and processing platform based on three key focus areas: Frictionless, Transparent and Agile. Recognized as a leading Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) provider in the region, NymCard enables fintechs and innovative payment players to deliver a seamless payment experience to their customers with easy, secure, and faster channels. Using Open APIs and modern technologies, NymCard is known for delivering exceptionally fast implementations. It powers payment innovators in multiple industries from the Gig Economy, Buy Now Pay Later, Youth banking, and Corporate expense cards across the MEA region. NymCard is now expanding to Asia and Europe.
Speaking on the partnership, Omar Onsi, CEO and Founder at NymCard said: “In our region, consumers, fintechs, and payment providers always seek more secure and user-friendly financial services. We are now seeing increasing interest in biometric payment cards as they combine world-class security with world-class convenience. Zwipe is a highly respected fintech in the biometric payments marketplace and Zwipe Pay ONE based cards will add considerable value for our customers in MEA”.
Zwipe will provide commercialization support, expertise, and technical guidance to help NymCard integrate biometric payment cards in its portfolio. Zwipe Pay ONE based cards will be delivered by one or more of Zwipe's certified smart card manufacturers in the region. NymCard and Zwipe will start joint issuer engagements already from this month.
“The interest in adopting biometric payment cards is phenomenal in the Middle East and Africa. We are happy to partner with NymCard, a well-recognized Banking-as-a-Service provider for payment innovators and fintechs. Zwipe's biometric payment platform supports contactless payments ensuring 100% touch-free and PIN-free transactions. We are confident that this alliance will further accelerate the deployment of biometric payment cards,” said Ramzi Saboury, General Manager for Zwipe in the MENA region.
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For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 Info@zwipe.com
About NymCard
NymCard is a MEA-based BaaS provider and modern card issuer processor. The company offers a cloud-agnostic modern payment issuing and processing platform called nCore that allows fintechs in the MENA region to instantly create, control, and distribute highly customizable virtual or physical payment cards.
NymCard’s mission is to enable companies to launch frictionless payment card programs at speed in any market in MENA and now in Asia as well. As a payment enabler, NymCard is removing the friction associated with legacy systems enabling fintechs to focus on building their product proposition rather than deal with complex payment processes.
NymCard developed its own processing technology from the ground up, where we own our whole tech stack. We published our APIs and are the only MENA-based issuer processor with a live Sandbox where fintechs can get access and start building in no time.
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 and 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 zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 3 September 2021 – The primary insider Johan Biehl, a board member of Zwipe, has today sold a total of 92,883 shares at an average at SEK 37.03. Johan Biehl’s shareholding after the transaction is 120,000 shares. Feat Invest AB, where Johan Biehl is a board member, has sold 57,301 shares at an average price at SEK 36.86. Feat Invest AB’s shareholding after the transaction is 262,479 shares.
Attached is a copy of the forms submitted to the Norwegian FSA, Finanstilsynet, reporting the transactions as listed above:
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For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 ir@zwipe.com
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards and wearables 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
OSLO, NORWAY AND BEIRUT, LEBANON – 03 September 2021 – Zwipe is proud to announce further orders for its Zwipe Pay ONE flagship product. The latest order was placed by Inkript, a digital security provider in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region and a subsidiary of Resource Group, and one of Zwipe’s long established partners.
The order of USD 318,000 for Zwipe Pay ONE comes after significant technical assessment and intensive business development activity across the Middle East and Africa region. Zwipe Pay One is the world’s first single silicon based biometric payment platform offered to card manufacturers globally and will be delivered in 2021 and 2022. This order has been placed at a time when both Inkript and Zwipe are experiencing strong interest from issuers aiming for pilots this year and planning for commercial rollouts in 2022.
Inkript initially placed a small-scale order in 2020 to begin the technical and commercial evaluation of Zwipe Pay ONE. Following a successful evaluation period, the company has quickly moved to reinforce its leadership position in the MEA region by guaranteeing priority deliveries to its customers upon conclusion of planned pilot cases.
“There is a growing need for sustainable, secure and user-friendly payment solutions in the MEA region, addressing the concerns of both customers and financial institutions. As a result, Inkript remains determined to support the market needs not only through our expertise but also through solid and promising partnerships. Together with Zwipe, we are investing our efforts into securing several pilots in the region to widely introduce and develop the best-in-class Zwipe Pay ONE platform in the region. Our aim is to build market awareness of the benefits of the product and ultimately to secure our first pilot commitments,” says Riad Itani, Managing Director at Inkript.
André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe, added: “It is encouraging that the early interest shown in Zwipe Pay ONE in the Middle East has now been converted into our first, sizeable order for our product from Inkript. Their willingness to be one of the first smart card manufacturers to bring Zwipe Pay ONE powered biometric cards to issuers and card personalization bureaus in the MEA region demonstrates their leadership in this area. We look forward to supporting Inkript on this journey and to our continued mutual success within the region”.
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For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
About Inkript
Inkript is a digital security solutions provider catering to governments, telecom operators and financial institutions in the MEA region. The company’s growth is driven by an extensive R&D and continuous investments in emerging technologies. Inkript is distinguished by its state-of-the-art factories, technology competence centers, customized integrated solutions and international certifications covering processes, quality and security.
Media Contact for Inkript: Ms. Ghina Ramadan, +9611412000 ext. 2931, gramadan@resource.group
Når en första kommersiell order
Det första halvåret och perioden efter har minst sagt varit händelserikt för Zwipe med ett antal större nya partnerskap, piloter, samarbetsavtal samt en första större kommersiell order. Den 11e maj tillkännagav bolaget ett samarbetsavtal med Beautiful Card Corporation (BCC) för att leverera bolagets biometriska kortlösningar till den asiatiska marknaden. BCC producerar kring 520 miljoner kort årligen, varav cirka 20 miljoner av dessa är betalkort. Kort efter halvårets utgång meddelande Zwipe att en första kommersiell order nåtts med BCC till ett värde av 1,9 miljoner USD, motsvarande nästan 17 miljoner kronor. Ordern kommer levereras under 2022, med möjlighet att skjuta på leverans om marknaden inte utvecklats snabbt nog. Detta utgör inte bara en av de större beställningarna för biometriska kort hittills utan innebär också att Zwipe nu tar första stegen in i den kommersiella resan, vilket bekräftar bolagets starka position i den begynnande marknaden.
Pilotavtal med stor global bank
Första halvåret har inneburit ett kraftigt växande nätverk av både partners och kunder. Dessa utgör en blandning av både kortutgivare och betaltjänstleverantörer vilket innebär att marknaden bearbetas från flera olika håll. Särskilt intressant är nyheten som släpptes i början av september där bolaget tillkännagav en pilot med en global Tier-1 bank. Piloten innebär att bolagets Zwipe Pay ONE plattform kommer att testas skarpt i tre europeiska länder i början av 2022 men potential för en kommersiell lansering i mitten av året. Detta kan utgöra en av bolagets största milstolpar hittills och potentialen är stor. Banken, som ännu inte tillkännagivits, har bas i Europa, agerar globalt på flera kontinenter och den potentiella långsiktiga volymen från avtalet är troligt i tiotals miljoner.
Tidigare i år har bolaget bland annat slutit avtal med KL HI-TECH för Indien, Be ys Pay för biometriska kort i Frankrike och Benelux-regionen, FSS för global utrullning, BCC som nämnt ovan, MEPS med fokus på MENA-regionen och Silkways Card & Printing Ltd med fokus på Bangladesh. Efter andra kvartalet har även avtal slutits med ICPS, med fokus på Afrika och Asien, samt ett avtal med MEPS där nyckelpersoner på ett tjugotal banker i Levant-regionen kommer få genomföra en pilot med bolagets Zwipe Pay ONE plattform. Det blir allt tydligare att en begynnande massmarknad tar form och intresset är större än någonsin från banker och kortutgivare.
Utvärderas av global Tier-1 korttillverkare
Utöver dessa avtal har därtill bolaget tillkännagivit att Zwipe Pay ONE plattformen utvärderas av en global smartcard-utgivare inom kategorin Tier 1. Tier 1 utgör världens tre största utgivare, alla med volymer över en halv miljard kort om året, och är en kundkategori vi tidigare inte beräknat som ett fokusområde för bolagets marknadsbearbetning. Det faktum att Zwipe nu utvärderas av allt större aktörer är en indikation på den attraktiva, konkurrenskraftiga ställning bolaget etablerar på denna begynnande marknad. Ett avtal med en kund i denna kaliber skulle innebära en större adresserbar marknad och hade accelererat adoptionen av biometriska kort givet dessa aktörers etablerade kundrelationer med några av världens största banker.
Milstolpe efter milstolpe
Halvåret innehöll inga överraskningar i siffrorna med en omsättning på 1,4 miljon norska kronor (0,9), ett resultat kring -26,9 miljoner norska kronor (-31,6) och en burnrate kring 5 miljoner norska kronor per månad. Trots detta har sommaren inneburit ett stort antal stora milstolpar för bolaget vilket gör att risken minskar samtidigt som långsiktiga potentialen stärks. Alltmer talar för att vi står inför större kommersiellt genombrott under 2022 och vi väntar oss ett fortsatt spännande år för bolaget. Till följd av sänkt diskonteringsränta och mindre förändringar i våra prognoser höjer vi bolagets motiverade värde till 43–46 kronor (34–37), på 12–18 månaders sikt.
OSLO, NORWAY – 2 SEPTEMBER 2021 - Zwipe is proud to announce a biometric payment cards pilot with a Global Tier-1 bank. The bank, which is headquartered in Europe, has a strong presence in retail banking and serves many millions of customers across several continents. The pilot will take place in three European countries using biometric payment cards based on the Zwipe Pay ONE platform.
Across many global markets, Zwipe and its card manufacturing partners are experiencing growing interest in biometric payment cards from banks. These cards will deliver world class transaction security, uplifted user experience, improved loyalty and drive new customer acquisition. Delivering a completely touch-free check-out experience above and below the current contactless limits, biometric payment cards will address elevated consumer concerns about touching the point-of-sale terminals.
Together with its card manufacturing and personalization partners, who will deliver the Zwipe Pay ONE Biometric Cards, Zwipe will commence working with the Global Tier-1 Bank later this month with the aim to launch a pilot of a few hundred cardholders across three European countries in Q1 2022. The bank also plans for a commercial launch of Zwipe Pay ONE based biometric payment cards later in the summer 2022, subject to positive results in the pilot.
André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe, said: “We are thrilled that a Global Tier 1 bank has chosen Zwipe Pay ONE-based biometric payment cards for their pilot and, potentially, for a commercial launch where the long-term potential could be significant. Besides the technology, Zwipe will also support the bank through all stages of the pilot, ensuring that all end users’ experiences and feedback are systematically captured. This Zwipe Pay ONE pilot is a significant milestone and a testament to our world-class technology and excellent collaboration with strong partners in all parts of the payments ecosystem”.
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obliged to make public pursuant to the Continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Market Oslo, Nasdaq First North Growth Market and the EU Market Abuse Regulation. 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 below, at 12:45 CEST on 2 September 2021.
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
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
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE END OF THE PRESS RELEASE.
OSLO, NORWAY – 30 August 2021 – Zwipe AS (“Zwipe” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has raised approximately NOK 104 million in gross proceeds through a private placement of 4,000,000 new shares (the “New Shares”), directed towards Erik Selin Fastigheter AB (the "Private Placement"). The Company has prior to the resolution received an indication of interest from Erik Selin Fastigheter AB covering the transaction size.
The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to fund further development and commercialization of the Company, general operating costs and strategic investments. After completion of this private placement, Zwipe is funded through commercial launches in 2022 and beyond based on the current business plan and market assumptions.
The subscription price in the Private Placement will be NOK 26.10 per share, corresponding to today's closing price on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. As no discount has been provided, the board does not plan to execute a repair issue.
The new Shares will be issued and tradable on Euronext Growth Oslo and Nasdaq First North Growth Market in Stockholm following the registration of the share capital increase in the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises expected to take place on or about 30 September 2021.
The Board has found the Private Placement to be in compliance with the applicable equal treatment requirements, ref. Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book, Part II, section 3.1. The Private Placement allows the Company to raise capital faster, with lower risk and significantly lower transaction costs than in a rights issue. Further, no discount is given from market price. The Board also shows to that no discrimination among the existing shareholders is taking place since Erik Selin Fastigheter AB is not a shareholder. Finally, the Board emphasizes that Erik Selin Fastigheter AB is generally considered a strong and long term investor who the Company and the joint shareholders will gain from including as a shareholder.
The Private Placement is exempted from relevant prospectus requirements (i) outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “US Securities Act”) and (ii) in the United States to "accredited investors" as defined in the US Securities Act Rule 501(a), acquiring the New Shares for investment purposes for its own account, or pursuant to another exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act.
Simonsen Vogt Wiig AS is acting as legal advisor to Zwipe.
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards and wearables 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 further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 ir@zwipe.com
This is information that Zwipe AS is obliged to make public pursuant to the Euronext Growth Market Oslo Rule Book Part II, Section 3.10 and the EU Market Abuse Regulation. 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 19:30 CEST on 30 August 2021.
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This release is issued for information purposes only, and does not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities in the United States, or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful or would require registration or other measures. The securities mentioned herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"). The securities may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act. The Company does not intend to register any portion of the offering of the securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of the securities in the United States. Copies of this announcement are not being made and may not be distributed or sent into Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States.
The issue, subscription or purchase of shares in the Company is subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Neither the Company nor the Managers assume any responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions.
The distribution of this release may in certain jurisdictions be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this release comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
The Managers are acting for the Company and no one else in connection with the Private Placement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company providing the protections afforded to their respective clients or for providing advice in relation to the Private Placement and/or any other matter referred to in this release.
Forward-looking statements: This release and any materials distributed in connection with this release may contain certain forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they reflect the Company's current expectations and assumptions as to future events and circumstances that may not prove accurate. A number of material factors could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
OSLO, NORWAY – 26 August 2021 – Zwipe AS today publishes its first half-year 2021 report.
Summary Financial development
Second-quarter 2021
First half-year 2021
Significant events during the period
Significant events after the period
Message from the CEO
Continued strong progress
During the first half of the year, Zwipe Pay ONE and our compelling end-to-end offering continued to drive interest from all stakeholders in the payment ecosystem. Thanks to continued strong and growing global interest in biometric payment cards among Smart Card Manufacturers, Personalization Bureaus, Payment Processors, and Financial Institutions, we have expanded our ecosystem in all these categories and will continue to further strengthen our foundation for future market success. During the period, we announced important new events and milestones:
To proactively support our new customers and partners, we’ve taken many steps to strengthen our organization, including:
In April 2021, we demonstrated the Zwipe Pay ONE platform with a demo card and a home enrollment solution. We successfully carried out EMV authenticated transaction at Point-of-Sale terminals in a test environment. The feedback from the market was highly positive as we were able to demonstrate that transactions could be executed quickly and reliably, providing a considerable improvement to user experience, security, safety, and hygiene.
We have now passed almost all critical milestones and major risk points, with piloting and certification left before full commercialization and mass volumes.
Several of Zwipe’s smart card manufacturing partners have completed their internal testing processes and have begun small-scale manufacturing trials. In August 2021, we received our first commercial order for the Zwipe Pay ONE platform from Beautiful Card Corporation (in Taiwan). The net contract value is $1.9 million, marking the transition to a new phase on a very exciting journey for Zwipe. Deliveries are planned to begin in 2022. The order is a testament to how Zwipe Pay ONE is getting closer to a mass-market launch and how our global delivery set-up is getting ready to bring the next generation of payment cards to issuers, smart card manufacturers and payment processors across multiple markets.
At the same time, and as part of our global expansion plan, we have established wholly owned subsidiaries in the UK and Germany to support the global mass-market deployment of Zwipe Pay ONE powered payment cards.
Adding value through our unique and highly differentiated offer
The offer Zwipe brings to the market has proven highly attractive. It consists of the industry’s most integrated secure element, offering superior energy efficiency and biometric performance at highly competitive manufacturing cost. Together with partners we manufacture our internally developed ISO module which integrates our secure element with our ISO contact plate and ultimately with our passive inlay. We provide methods and solutions for our customers to embed the fingerprint sensor during manufacturing of the biometric payment cards. Since our secure element is so advanced in its integration of capabilities that are otherwise provided by external components, our passive inlay allows for our customers to manufacture the complete biometric card at industry-leading cost. In addition to our turn-key technology offering, we offer value-added services and insights in our end-to-end approach. The number of customers that have selected Zwipe Pay ONE is the best testament to the competitive nature of our unique and highly differentiated offer.
With strong market traction and a welcoming reaction from major industry players worldwide, Zwipe is on track to deliver on our ambitions and bring the next generation payment experience powered by biometrics to consumers globally.
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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, Nasdaq First North Growth Market and the EU Market Abuse Regulation. 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 below, at 08:00 CEST on 26 August 2021.
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:
André Løvestam, +47 991 661 35, ir@zwipe.com
[1] Comparative figures in brackets are for Q2 2020
[2] Comparative figures in brackets are for H1 2020
OSLO, NORWAY and AMMAN, JORDAN – 16 August 2021 – Middle East Payment Services (MEPS) and Zwipe are pleased to announce the launch of a pilot of Biometric Payment Cards based on the Zwipe Pay ONE platform to top-level executives and key decision makers at up to 20 banks and issuers in the Levant region. MEPS is a key regional player in card issuing, payment processing and merchant acquiring services in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Zwipe is a biometric fintech pioneering next generation contactless payment globally.
In June, MEPS and Zwipe announced their partnership to bring Biometric Payment Cards to banks and consumers in MENA. Both organizations have noted a strong interest in biometric payment cards in the region.
Highlighting this development, Ali Abdel Jabbar, Chief Executive Officer at MEPS shared, “Nothing brings more trust in Biometric Payment Cards than the first-hand experience of using them. With this pilot, MEPS will offer the top-ranking officers and key decision makers at up to 20 banks and issuers a chance to gain such first-hand experience by trying these state-of-the-art payment cards in a live environment, making it the largest multi-bank trial of these cards globally. The pilot will be concluded in Q4 2021 with Zwipe Pay ONE Cards delivered from Inkript. We are confident that after these trials, most banks will launch pilots leading to multiple commercial launches.”
The General Manager of Zwipe MENA, Ramzi Saboury commented, “We are proud that our partner MEPS is amongst the global pioneers and first in MENA to pilot Zwipe Pay ONE, paving the way for issuers to try and ultimately launch this great technology”.
As part of the collaboration, Inkript will deliver Zwipe Pay ONE-based cards to MEPS. Inkript supplies 100 million smart cards annually across the Middle East, Africa and Europe. In 2020, it selected Zwipe for its next-generation contactless cards.
“We are impressed with the innovativeness and boldness of MEPS to launch such a large-scale, multi-bank pilot of Zwipe Pay ONE cards across the Levant region. This is a completely new approach to piloting our technology, providing a unique opportunity for top bankers and decision makers in up to 20 individual banks to experience first-hand the enhanced convenience, security and hygiene benefits of biometric payment cards. We are extremely happy and excited that our collaboration with MEPS is proceeding at such great pace,” added André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obliged to make public pursuant to the Continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Market Oslo, Nasdaq First North Growth Market and the EU Market Abuse Regulation. 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 below, at 08:45 CEST on 16 August 2021.
About MEPS
Middle East Payment Services (MEPS), founded in 2009, is a Principal Issuer and Acquirer of Visa, MasterCard, and UnionPay, with presence in Jordan, Iraq, and Palestine. The company offers financial institutions, merchants, and corporations, a complete range of secure payment solutions in card issuance / hosting, payment processing, alternative payments, ecommerce acquiring, point-of-sale (POS) acquiring, ATM driving and management, and customized value-added services adhering to PCI Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). MEPS is owned by 10 Jordanian and regional banks.
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 further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and TAOYUAN, TAIWAN – 3 August 2021 – Zwipe is proud to announce a substantial order of USD 1.9m (net) for its flagship Zwipe Pay ONE product. The order was placed by Taiwan’s Beautiful Card Corporation (BCC) and covers the supply of modules, sensors and inlays, enabling BCC to be one of the first manufacturers to bring significant volumes of this next generation of biometric payment cards to market. This order for Zwipe Pay ONE, the world’s first single silicon based biometric payment platform offered to card manufacturers globally, will be delivered in 2022, with the option to extend delivery beyond that date if market take off is slower than anticipated, leaving any remaining unfulfilled quantities.
With around 520 million cards produced annually, of which around 20 million are EMV payment cards, BCC is listed as the largest scratch card manufacturer in Taiwan, the 2nd largest in Asia and 7th in the world.
This order follows on from the agreement between the two companies that was announced in May 2021 after an extensive period of evaluation of the Zwipe Pay ONE solution. With BCC’s volume manufacturing facility now ready, and demand for the product intensifying across the globe, the timing is right for manufacturers to begin to commit to orders, thereby securing access to and delivery priority for this innovative product at scale.
“Driven by the rapidly growing sales pipeline of new opportunities identified for NextGen Payment Cards, BCC wishes to ensure production capacity and placing this order to Zwipe is part of that commitment to our customers. We are working on bringing a disruptive new product to market and are excited by the opportunities that this will create,” commented Peggy Wu, CEO and Chairman of BCC.
“We are delighted and grateful that BCC has made this commitment to Zwipe and Zwipe Pay ONE. The partnership with BCC has been exceptional and we continue to work closely in advancing both technical and commercial activities. BCC’s investment of human and financial resources to manufacture the Zwipe Pay ONE product has demonstrated their ability to bring an outstanding product to market at scale. We look forward to be working even closer with BCC through certification and volume ramp-up,” added André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obliged to make public pursuant to the Continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Market Oslo, Nasdaq First North Growth Market and the EU Market Abuse Regulation. 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 below, at 08:00 CEST on 3 August 2021.
About Beautiful Card Corporation
Beautiful Card Corporation (BCC) was founded in October 1991. BCC has state-of-the-art equipment and professional specialists to fulfil their consistent management policy of providing high-quality products with competitive price. Since BCC’s founding, they have been developing new technology in card industry as well as continuously putting efforts to the innovation and improvement of all sorts of cards. Thanks to their continuous efforts, BCC’s capacity was recognized and approved by customers all over the world. BCC’s annual capacity now reaches 200 million Scratch cards, 300 million GSM SIM cards, 20 million EMV cards. BCC has obtained ISO 9001 / IS27001/ ISO14001/ ISO 45001/ ISO14298/MasterCard CQM / Visa / MasterCard / JCB / GSM SAS certifications.
Media Contact for Beautiful Card Corporation: shellen@beautifulcard.com
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing technology to biometric payment cards and wearables 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 further information please contact:
André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 23 July 2021 – As Zwipe continues to expand its relationship with smartcard manufacturers around the world, we are pleased to announce that a Global Tier 1 smartcard manufacturer has taken delivery of Zwipe Pay ONE components to evaluate inhouse manufacturing of biometric payment cards using Zwipe’s latest technology. Zwipe is a biometric fintech pioneering next generation contactless payment globally.
Zwipe Pay ONE is the world’s first single silicon based biometric payment platform offered to card manufacturers globally. It provides best in class biometric performance and energy efficiency at highly competitive prices. By enabling standard production processes and significantly lowering yield losses, it is designed to be mass market ready, delivering a significant improvement in both the consumer experience and the commercial benefits. Recent consumer studies demonstrate a very positive return on investment for this product enabling a strong business case for manufacturers and issuers to adopt it. Zwipe Pay ONE has delivered on its original design goals and offers significant opportunities across the payments value chain.
“As organisations around the world adapt to the increasing demands of their customers, we are seeing smartcard manufacturers gearing up to be able to supply this latest generation of biometric payment cards. This new initiative by one of the world's largest manufacturers signifies a key development for Zwipe as we move towards our new payment technology becoming a mainstream proposition for issuers and cardholders,” added André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing technology to biometric payment cards and wearables 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 further information please contact:
André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and LES PAILLES, MAURITIUS – 16 JULY 2021 – Biometric fintech company, Zwipe and ICPS, a leading international card payment processor and card personalization bureau, are partnering to bring Zwipe Pay ONE enabled biometric payment cards to banks across Africa and Asia.
The COVID-19 pandemic has boosted the use of contactless technology and ultimately the need for consumers and businesses to make higher-value payments using contactless cards. However, the contactless limit increase for payments also posed a higher risk for users without an additional layer of security.
ICPS and Zwipe have partnered to bring biometric payment cards enabled with fingerprint sensors. With a fingerprint sensor embedded in the card, consumers will now benefit from an extra layer of security with no need to enter a PIN code on the POS terminal.
Zwipe will provide the complete Zwipe Pay ONE package comprising Biometric ISO contact plate module, Passive inlay, Fingerprint sensor, OS license and enrollment sleeves. As part of this collaboration, both companies will work closely to promote the disruptive Zwipe Pay ONE enabled biometric payment cards for ICPS’ issuers in Africa and Asia.
“As a provider of innovative payment services in the African continent, we pride ourselves in delivering future proof innovations. Together with Zwipe we will bring a new payment solution that will help financial institutions to differentiate their services, provide safer and much more secure payment solutions and uplift customer loyalty. Zwipe is a well-regarded technology brand in the biometric payment space and we are very happy to join forces with them”, said Khevin Seebah, CEO at ICPS.
ICPS has a portfolio of more than 30 clients based in 22 countries in Africa and Southeast Asia. The company, which is based in Mauritius, provides payment processing and consultancy services for banks, financial institutions, and telecom operators. ICPS hosts more than six million cards, drives over 600 ATMs and 11,000 point of sale terminals, and processes over 10 million transactions on its platform each month.
André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe said: “We are delighted to collaborate with ICPS and bring the next generation of contactless payment cards to banks in Africa and Asia. ICPS’ strong position among financial institutions across Afica and Asia, and Zwipe’s disruptive technology and deep expertise within biometric payment cards, will create a strategic foundation for a mutually rewarding partnership.”
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About ICPS
Founded in 2008, ICPS a subsidiary of the HPS Group, the latter being a leading global cards and payments technology provider serving 450 issuers and acquirers in 90 countries across five continents. Based in Mauritius, the firm provides payment-processing services for banks, financial institutions and telecom operators. It currently has a rich portfolio of more than 30 clients in 22 countries in Africa and Asia, which includes some of the world’s leading banks. ICPS activity covers hosting of more than six million cards, driving of more than 600 ATMs and 11,000 point of sale terminals, and processes more than 10 million transactions each month.
To learn more, visit https://www.icps.mu/
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing technology to biometric payment cards and wearables 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 further information, please contact:
Mr. André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
ICPS Sales team businessdevtraining@icps.mu
Summer Greetings from André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe
OSLO, NORWAY - 9 JULY 2021
Dear stakeholders of Zwipe,
Through the first half of 2021, our global payment ecosystem of Smart Card Manufacturers, Payment Processors, Banks and Go-to-market Partners has continued to expand at a rapid pace, further strengthening our foundation for future market success. In these challenging times, our growing team of competent and passionate Zwipers, spanning 14 different nationalities in nine countries across three different continents and five time zones from Colorado Springs to Singapore, has demonstrated exceptional teamwork with a solid focus on customers. I am delighted to share that the interest in biometric payment cards based on Zwipe technology, which deliver a more convenient, secure and safe means to pay, has never been stronger. The voices of consumers captured by Zwipe in the UK, USA, Canada, Sweden, Norway and Romania since August last year are encouraging and consistent with similar findings from card schemes and other industry players.
Entering the Indian subcontinent and APAC region
In the first half of 2021, we announced six new Smart Card Manufacturers into our ecosystem:
Together, these manufacturers deliver around 200 million payment cards annually. In addition, we extended and expanded our partnership with TAG Systems, who delivers 100 million payment cards annually. Looking forward, it is great to see that our SCM and processor and issuer pipelines continue to grow.
The encouraging developments with card manufacturers received a big boost when Asia’s largest payment processor, Financial Software and Systems (FSS) embraced our next-generation payment cards platform based on Zwipe Pay ONE technology. FSS manages over 800 million cards, and we are now working with them to bring our ground-breaking innovation globally. We also strengthened our regional presence by appointing Masterline and Sonali Intellect Ltd. as our business development partners in India and Bangladesh, respectively.
Acceleration in the MENA Region and Europe
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
On the back of growing demand for biometric payments cards in the MENA region, Network International (NI), providing payment services to over 200 banks in Middle East and Africa, and Middle East Payment Services (MEPS), a leading payment service provider in the Levant region, entered new partnerships with Zwipe. NI and MEPS have boosted our reach and delivery capabilities in the MENA Region, on top of our already strong network of prominent partners in the region, notably Masria Digital Payments, Inkript, areeba and Veritech. To effectively serve our growing partner network and issuers, we appointed Ramzi Saboury as the General Manager for the MENA region. Ramzi brings over 26 years of experience and network in payment services in MENA from leadership roles in Kuwaiti banks, VISA and areeba.
Europe and the UK
In the past few months, we have seen an increasing in-flow of interest from card manufacturers in multiple regions, most notably in Europe. The same can be said for issuer engagements that come through our Processor Partners and Card Manufacturers in Europe, especially in the UK and Nordics. This is proof that our “Megaphone” partner strategy works! Swedish fintech VOPY, providing embedded financial services to clients globally, and France-based payment service provider, be ys Pay, selected Zwipe Pay ONE (ZPO) cards for their ssuers, aiming to pilot Zwipe Pay ONE this year. Both these developments came within months of OP Bank’s decision to pilot with cards based on the Zwipe Pay ONE platform togheter with our Go-to-market partner, TietoEVRY. OP is Finland’s largest financial services group and serves over four million customers.
Delivery of Zwipe Pay ONE on track
We had strong progress in the development of Zwipe Pay ONE, the world’s first Single Silicon based biometric payment platform offered to card manufacturers globally. In April 2021, we demonstrated our enrollment solution and touch-free payment transactions above the transaction cap at a Point-of-Sales terminal with test keys to emulate fully EMV authorized and authenticated transactions in a live environment. The feedback from the market was very positive as everyone could see how these cards quickly and reliably provide a considerable boost to user experience and security.
In fact, we have now passed most critical milestones and major risk points,with only piloting and certification left before commercialization in mass volumes.
Next steps – pilots and certification
Apart from pilots planned from late this quarter, certification will represent the last milestone before commercialization. We have already performed pre-tests at accredited test labs with excellent results.
We are now working closely with the card schemes to secure these processes, which will be explained in detail during our H1 2021 reporting on 26 August. In the coming weeks, we will start handing out Zwipe Pay ONE demo cards to issuers and partners and continue to help them prepare for commercial launches.
Zwipe 2.0
Last, but not least, H1 2021 has seen further strengthening of our team across all functions – commercial, technical, operational and regional. We have engaged every Zwiper in developing and honing our Winning Team Culture, with our Core Values driving us to be Innovative, Collaborative, Adaptable and Passionate. Each recruitment is intended not only to add capacity, but also to uplift our team. I am also pleased to see further strengthening of our board.
I take this opportunity to thank each member of the Zwipe team for their remarkable effort and passion to our mission of Making Convenience safe and secure. My thanks also go out to all our customers, partners, and shareholders for sharing this mission as strongly as every Zwiper.
I wish each one of you a very safe and happy summer ahead!
OSLO, NORWAY and AMMAN, JORDAN – 24 JUNE 2021 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and Network International Services Limited Jordan PSC (NI) have decided to collaborate to address the growing demand for biometric payment solutions in the Levant region.
The Network International Group is the leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa (MEA). It provides a robust suite of payment products and services that are on the cutting-edge of technology development. In 2020, Network processed over 750 million payment transactions for more than 200 financial institutions, 80,000 merchants and over 16 million cards.
Speaking on the collaboration, Amjad Al-Sadeq, Regional President – Levant at Network International Services Limited Jordan PSC, said: “COVID-19 has accelerated a mega-shift in our region towards more secure and hygienic payments. We are confident that our issuer clients and consumers will embrace biometric payment cards as they provide an excellent check-out experience with much higher security. Zwipe Pay ONE cards will enrich our payment portfolio and further reinforce our innovation leadership.”
Zwipe will provide Network International with technical support and services for the implementation of Zwipe Pay ONE biometric cards including deliveries to the issuers. The Zwipe Pay ONE-powered cards will be delivered by one of Zwipe’s certified smart card manufacturers in the region.
“The Levant is a key growth market for Zwipe in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. Network International is the largest player in this vast region, and their strong relations with many prominent banks across the Middle East and Africa will be a significant complement to Zwipe’s technology leadership. We are honored to work with Network International to accelerate the deployment of biometric payment cards,” said Ramzi Saboury, General Manager for Zwipe in the MENA region.
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
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About Network International
Network International comprises of a group of companies and is the leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, providing a full suite of technology-enabled payments solutions to merchants and financial institutions of all types and sizes, including acquiring and processing services and a comprehensive ever-evolving range of value-added services.
Network International Holdings Plc is the holding company for Network International and the group companies.
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 and 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
OSLO, NORWAY and DHAKA, BANGLADESH – 18 JUNE 2021 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe has appointed Sonali Intellect Limited as its sales and strategic business development partner to accelerate the adoption of biometric payment cards in Bangladesh. With 166 million inhabitants and a fast growing base of 22 million payment cards (credit cards grew 50% between 2019-20), Bangladesh represents a strategic growth opportunity for both partners.
For almost a decade, Sonali Intellect Limited (SIL) has been leading the modernization of the largest banks of Bangladesh, notably Sonali Bank and Rupali Bank. SIL delivers cutting edge financial technology solutions to Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance sectors in Bangladesh. SIL’s portfolio comprises Card Management Systems, Core Banking (Conventional and Islamic), Trade Finance, Treasury, Cash and Liquidity Management, Supply Chain Finance, Contact Centre, Brokerage and Wealth Management. Today, the SIL platform serves 2 banks, 1806 branches and 25.4 million end users.
"We are excited to partner with Zwipe and bring their ground-breaking payment innovation in Bangladesh. Biometric Payment Cards, due to their state-of-art security and world-class user experience will play a key role in fighting fraud, driving digital inclusion, and ensuring a seamless checkout experience for consumers. We have already started engaging with many key banks in the market and their early feedback has been encouraging”, says S.M. Jahangir Akhter, CEO of SIL.
As part of the collaboration both companies will work closely to help banks, card personalization bureaus and processors in Bangladesh to support Zwipe Pay ONE cards with the ambition to deliver pilots later this year.
Commenting on the sales partnership, André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe, says, "We are glad to partner with Sonali Intellect Limited. Their local market insights, deep relations with issuers and strong track record of innovation in financial services have already proven effective and align well with our expansion plans in high growth, high potential markets, such as Bangladesh. SIL has uncovered and demonstrated real market interest in Bangladesh, and we will collaborate closely to help the issuers pilot and roll out Zwipe powered biometric payment cards”.
For further information, please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
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About Sonali Intellect Limited
Sonali Intellect Limited, a financial technology solution provider, was incorporated as a joint venture company in 2012 by Intellect Design Arena Limited (erstwhile ‘Polaris FT Limited’) - a leading global financial technology group and Sonali Bank Ltd.- largest State Owned bank to deliver high quality IT solutions.
Sonali Intellect Limited provides cutting edge financial technology solutions to Banking, Financial Services and Insurance sectors in Bangladesh. Sonali Intellect Limited has adapted the best practices around software product development, delivery and implementation from Intellect Design Arena Limited. It is also backed by Intellect Design Arena Limited’s global experience and world-class management practices.
On the other hand, it has full-fledged development and support center in Bangladesh maintained by experienced local resources. These enable Sonali Intellect Limited to provide world-class solution and support services from its local development center to its customers in Bangladesh.
The company is leading the modernization of the largest bank of Bangladesh- Sonali Bank Limited and Rupali Bank Limited.
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
OSLO, NORWAY and DHAKA, BANGLADESH – 16 JUNE 2021 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and Silkways Card & Printing Ltd (Silkcard), a leading provider of payment cards in Bangladesh, are partnering to bring biometric payment cards enabled by Zwipe Pay ONE technology to financial institutions and card issuers.
Silkcard is a fully functional EMV certified smart card manufacturer and personalization bureau with more than 15 years of experience in card production and personalization. It delivers a variety of cards to banking and retail customers in Bangladesh and abroad. Currently it delivers over 12 million payment cards annually.
“Biometric Payment Cards is a high-impact initiative and the future of contactless payments, lifting safety and convenience to a completely new level for our issuer customers and consumers alike. We see Zwipe Pay ONE as the state-of-the-art technology on biometric payment cards and look forward to a close collaboration with Zwipe,” says Sk Farid Ahmed, Managing Director of Silkways Card & Printing Ltd.
As part of the collaboration, Zwipe will deliver the Zwipe Pay ONE technology platform and expert guidance to help Silkcard manufacture and personalize biometric card payments for issuer clients. Silkcard will also work with Zwipe in commercializing biometric payment solutions in Bangladesh, helping the banks through all stages of pilot, launch and mass market rollout.
“We are very pleased to partner with Silkcard, one of the strongest providers in Bangladesh. With a population of over 166 million and an economy growing over 7% per year, this market represents significant growth potential for our innovation from security, financial inclusion and innovation perspectives. Together with Silkcard we will bring next-generation contactless payment cards in this fast-growing market,” says André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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About Silkways Card & Printing Ltd
Silkways card & printing Ltd (Silkcard) is a pioneering venture for manufacturing & personalization of smartcards in Bangladesh with its state-of-the-art production facility located at the heart of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The vision of Silkcard is to comply with the ethical standards in business operations, financial disclosures, accountability and legal compliance. To learn more, visit www.silkways.net/silkcard
For further information please contact: Sk. Farid Ahmed Manik, MD, +88 01711 527359
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 further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and AMMAN, JORDAN – 2 June 2021 – Middle East Payment Services (MEPS), a leading regional one-stop-shop for payment services and products, is partnering with biometric fintech Zwipe to bring next generation contactless payment cards in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
MEPS is a principal issuer and acquirer of payment cards in Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, and provides card issuance services to 27 financial institutions in this territory. The two organizations will collaborate closely, offering a more seamless and secure payment solution to customers by combining MEPS’s Issuance Platform and the Zwipe Pay ONE biometric card platform, supported by Zwipe’s card manufacturing partners in the MENA region.
Commenting on the partnership Ali Abdel Jabbar, Chief Executive Officer at MEPS, said “We are delighted to take this big step with Zwipe, a well-known technology brand in biometric payments. The disruptive Zwipe Pay ONE platform based on “single silicon” design will help us to uplift our end-to-end payments offering to our bank clients in the region. Zwipe Pay ONE is recognized as the most advanced (Gen3) biometric payment technology and complements MEPS’ innovative card portfolio. We are aiming to make it available for our clients for piloting and commercial deployment during H2 2021”.
As part of this collaboration, MEPS will offer Zwipe Pay ONE biometric payment cards with primary focus on Jordan, Iraq and Palestine. Both partners will start engaging with issuers from Q2 2021. “MEPS is one of the pioneers in delivering innovative payment solution in the MENA region. We are very pleased that MEPS will deliver its next generation payment cards based on the Zwipe Pay ONE platform. This collaboration will further strengthen our footprints in the MENA region and accelerate the deployment of Zwipe Pay ONE in one of the world’s most dynamic markets for digital payments,” said Ramzi Saboury, General Manager for Zwipe in the MENA Region.
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About MEPS
Middle East Payment Services (MEPS), founded in 2009, is a Principal Issuer and Acquirer of Visa, MasterCard, and UnionPay, with presence in Jordan, Iraq, and Palestine. The company offers financial institutions, merchants, and corporations, a complete range of secure payment solutions in card issuance / hosting, payment processing, alternative payments, ecommerce acquiring, point-of-sale (POS) acquiring, ATM driving and management, and customized value-added services adhering to PCI Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). MEPS is owned by 10 Jordanian and regional banks.
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 further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 2 June 2021 – In accordance with the mandate given at Zwipe AS’s annual general meeting on 19 May 2021 to the board of directors (“the Board”) to issue new options to the company’s employees under the company's existing long-term incentive program, the Board has resolved to issue 220,000 new share options to primary insiders.
The strike price was set at NOK 30.13 in accordance with established principles in the program.
The following primary insiders in the Company have been granted additional share options by the Board:
The existing share-based incentive program covers employees and members of the Board. Each option gives the holder the right to acquire one share from the company at a strike price defined in the individual share option agreement. All options are conditional that the grantee remains employed. All vested options may be exercised in any period prior to the expiry date. The options vest every 6 months over 3 years from grant date and may be exercised at vesting. The share-based incentive program is dedicated for allocation to company management and employees, whereby they may be offered the opportunity of participating in a value growth in company shares. This is expected to lead to an increase in interest in the company’s value development.
Until the AGM in 2022, the Board is authorized to issue up to 2,306,319 options, of which a total of 1,911,000 options have now been issued.
Primary insider notifications pursuant to article 19 of the market abuse regulation are linked to from the document:
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This information is subject to the disclosure requirements in Regulation EU 596/2014 article 19 number 3 and the Norwegian Securities Trading Act § 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 Market Oslo and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. 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 below, at 23:30 2 June 2021.
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
Correction of Annual General Meeting minutes published 19 May - Corrected name Board of Directors:
OSLO, NORWAY– 19 May 2021 – The Annual General Meeting in Zwipe AS (Company) was held today. All proposed resolutions were approved unanimously in accordance with the call for the meeting. The minutes of Annual General Meeting are included as an attachment. The complete proposal, which was approved by the Annual General Meeting, is available on www.zwipe.com for further reference. The attendants of the AGM represented 27.3% of the votes in the company.
The following matters were reviewed and confirmed:
Approval of the annual report and financial statements for 2020:
The board’s proposal for the annual report and the financial statements for 2020 for the Company and the group were unanimously approved.
Election of members to the Board of Directors:
The following persons were unanimously elected to as the new Board of Directors:
Jörgen Lantto, Chairman of the board
Diderik Schonheyder
Johan Biehl
Dennis Jones
Stina Granberg
Tanya Juul Kjaer
Remuneration to the members of the Board of Directors and the members of the Nomination Committee
Remuneration to the Board members for the period from the AGM in 2021 until the AGM in 2022 were unanimously approved as follows:
Chairman of the Board: NOK 260,000,-
Members of the Board: NOK 130,000,-
No remuneration to the members of the Nomination Committee was resolved.
Board authorizations to increase the share capital and instructions to the Board regarding use of the authorization to increase the shares capital to strengthen the Company's equity
The Board proposed that two new authorizations for the Board on capital increases are issued, (i) to fulfil the Company's incentive program and (ii) to cater for strengthening of the Company's equity (extract, please see the attachment to the notice for the complete proposal).
i. Authorization for capital increase to fulfill the Company's incentive program
The Annual General Meeting resolved that the Board is hereby granted authorization to increase the share capital of Zwipe AS (the Company), on one or several occasions, with up to NOK 230,631.90 (2,306,319 new shares), equivalent to 7 % of the registered share capital at the time of this resolution. The authorization shall remain in force until the end of the annual general meeting 2022, however not beyond 30 June 2022. The pre-emptive right of the shareholders to subscribe may be set aside.
ii. Authorization for capital increase to strengthen the Company's equity
The Annual General Meeting resolved that the General Meeting granted a new authorization to the Board to issue shares corresponding to up to 15% of the share capital, and the new authorization shall be restricted to issue of shares to strengthen the Company's equity to the extent the Board considers this to be in the Company's best interest at the given time.
The authorization shall remain in force until the end of the annual general meeting 2022, however not beyond 30 June 2022. The pre-emptive right of the shareholders to subscribe may be set aside.
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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 Market Oslo and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. 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 below, on May 20, 2021 at 09:15 CEST
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 contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
