OSLO, NORWAY – 23 October 2023 – During the third quarter, Zwipe continued to demonstrate progress and saw strong interest from partners in bringing biometric payment and access control cards to markets globally.
Significant events during the period
Significant events after the period
Operational review
The overall adoption of biometric payment cards remains slower than expected, but Zwipe continues to position itself well for the moment biometric payment cards become more mainstream. Globally, Zwipe and its partners now have ongoing dialogues with more than 50 potential issuers of BPCs.
In the first three quarters of 2023, Zwipe expanded its partnerships in APAC such that we have a presence in 10 countries in the region. During the third quarter, Zwipe received its first small order from our Japanese SCM for a demo kit for testing and demonstration to Issuer end customers, with at least one such intended Issuer being a major global bank. In Europe, neobanks and fintechs – particularly in the UK and France – continue to show interest in BPCs, and Zwipe believes that the first launches in Europe will come from these newer players rather than more traditional banks. Zwipe and our main European SCM partner are actively working on more than ten potential BPC projects with UK fintechs, and also plan a joint development campaign aimed at the French fintech ecosystem in the fourth quarter. In the Middle East and Africa (“MEA”), Kuwait International Bank (“KIB”) and Middle East Payment Services (“MEPS”) were responsible for the first commercial launches of Zwipe BPCs during the second quarter. KIB reports high satisfaction internally and with their high net worth Visa Infinite clients to whom the initial launch was targeted, and discussions are ongoing about introducing BPCs to wider segments of their customer base in fairly short order.
In Zwipe Access, we are making substantial inroads in establishing the market for biometric access control cards in high-security verticals, with a high volume of PoCs – some with well-known global companies – now progressing, many important go-to-market partnerships signed or in progress, and product starter kits delivered to more than ten well-known, global enterprise partners whose end customers include data centers, healthcare facilities, airports, government agencies and critical infrastructure operators. Substantial third quarter activity points to real demand in the market for biometric access control solutions, and a real desire from our partners to bring Zwipe Access to their customers.
In North America, Schneider Electric Co. has completed tests and validation and confirmed good results. We are now negotiating an OEM agreement to include Zwipe Access cards in Schneider’s product offering, which they intend to market globally through their extensive network of companies and partners. Our partner MC Dean is currently conducting in-depth testing and validation of Zwipe Access cards on behalf of a Top 3 global cloud services and data centers provider, as well as other Fortune 100 global customers and government agencies. Berkshire Hathaway Energy Group (BHE) is currently testing Zwipe’s biometric access control cards for compatibility, with the goal of replacing the legacy install base and extending the use of Zwipe biometric cards to new sites. Elsewhere in the USA, the announced proof-of-concept at Richmond International Airport has been extended to allow more testing and validation under the most extreme security and environmental conditions. We anticipate that the final report and recommendations to the aviation industry by the National Safe Skies Alliance will be published in the fourth quarter.
In Sweden, AWT, a Zwipe partner and major player in the Nordics, has received an initial small order from a global Top 100 tech company for an initial soft launch at their headquarter location. This is expected to be the foundation for further scaling up, with gradual expansion to most of their global workforce by the end of 2025. Certego, a major system integrator of access security and monitoring solutions has begun discussions to provide Zwipe’s biometric access control cards to over 100 government agencies.
Commercial priorities for 2023 remain unchanged, with the company focusing on accelerating commercialization while carefully deploying funds and maximizing cash runway.
Financial review
Zwipe reported total revenue of 0.3 mNOK during Q3 2023 versus revenue of 0.8 mNOK in Q3 2022. Cash flow from operations was -27.1 mNOK in Q3 2023 versus -24.2 mNOK in Q3 2022, equating to an average monthly operating cash flow in Q3 2023 of -9.0 mNOK versus 8.1 mNOK in the same period last year. As a result of the restructuring announced in June, changes in the organization's operational cost base are starting to show, and the full impact of these changes is expected to show from Q4 2023. Cash and cash equivalents stood at 48.3 mNOK at the end of Q3 2023 compared to 85.8 mNOK at the end of Q3 2022, and 50.5 mNOK at the end of 2022.
Operational update presentation
CEO Robert Puskaric and CFO Danielle Glenn will do a short presentation on the operational update today, Monday October 23rd, at 10:00 CET.
Audiocast details
Date: 23 October 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Format: Audiocast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/GnOpyeAy2Yr
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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 23 October 2023.
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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.
For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
OSLO, NORWAY – 16 October 2023 – Zwipe AS will publish its Q3 2023 operational update on 23 October 2023 at 08:00 CET. On the same day at 10:00 CET, the Company will host an audiocast to present the update. After the presentation, the webcast will be opened up for questions from the audience.
Participants are strongly encouraged to submit their questions prior to the webcast on the registration page below or by sending questions to ir@zwipe.com. Participants will be required to register to listen to the audiocast and participate in the Q&A.
Webcast details
Date: 23 October 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Format: Audiocast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/GnOpyeAy2Yr
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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 more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and AND DOVER, MA - 9 October, 2023 – Zwipe, the global leader in biometric payment and access cards, has partnered with Schneider Electric's Security Solutions Group, specializing in the integration of access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, and other security technology sub-systems, to offer the revolutionary "biometric system-on-card" solution to Schneider Electric's global customer base. Schneider Electric's clientele spans diverse sectors, including airports, transportation, healthcare, data centers, critical infrastructure, manufacturing, government, and education.
Zwipe Access leverages cutting-edge biometric capture and matching technology to securely store the cardholder's encrypted fingerprint template directly within the card's smart chip during issuance. This integration seamlessly aligns with Schneider Electric's customers' needs, enabling them to swiftly, securely, and cost-effectively incorporate biometric verification into their existing security infrastructure. Zwipe's compatibility with virtually all access control manufacturers ensures effortless integration with Schneider Electric's Continum, Security Expert, and a wide array of other access control system providers.
With Zwipe Access, cardholders can easily verify their identity by presenting their personalized card to the reader. The battery-less card draws power from the reader's RF field, and the biometric verification triggers the access control system to grant or deny access. This secure process ensures that no biometric data is shared with anyone, thus simplifying compliance with data and privacy regulations. Zwipe Access cards offer rapid, convenient multi-factor authentication, eliminating the need to replace existing physical or logical access control readers.
Lee Guill, Director of Schneider Electric Security Solutions Group, emphasized, "Reducing risk for our customers by deploying solutions that only allow authorized individuals to enter their premises is at the core of Schneider Electric. Zwipe Access is the ideal fit to provide strong multifactor authentication through biometrics at a fraction of the cost of alternative technologies. We are confident in offering our customers this amazing card solution, which also addresses today's hygiene concerns, as only the card owner ever touches it, unlike biometric readers where multiple users touch the same devices daily."
Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe, added, "The future of secure, convenient access control is here today with Zwipe Access. Our unique solution enables fast and clean biometric identity verification while eliminating the risks associated with lost or stolen access cards. We welcome this partnership with Schneider Electric and look forward to helping them put true multifactor biometric authentication in the hands of their customers."
About Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a French multinational company specializing in digital automation and energy management. It addresses homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure, and industries by combining energy technologies, real-time automation, software, and services.
For more information, please visit http://www.se.com.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work passionately across networks of international organizations, industries, and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We pioneer next-generation biometric card technology for payment, physical and logical access control, as well as 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, please visit http://www.zwipe.com/.
OSLO, NORWAY and HOUSTON, TX, USA – 5 October 2023 – Zwipe, the global leader in cutting-edge biometric payment and access card technology, has teamed up with NCS, a prominent integrator of low-voltage technology solutions specializing in physical security, access control and video surveillance. This strategic partnership marks a significant step toward making biometric system-on-card (BSoC) solutions accessible to customers across Texas. NCS serves various industries, including manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, government and education.
Zwipe Access leverages state-of-the-art biometric capture and matching technology to securely store a cardholder's encrypted fingerprint template directly within the card's smart chip during issuance. This innovation perfectly aligns with the needs of NCS’ clients seeking rapid, secure, and cost-effective integration of biometric verification into their existing access systems.
With Zwipe Access, cardholders authenticate their identity by simply holding the personalized card up to the reader. The card draws power from the reader's radiofrequency (RF) field, verifying the biometric data and triggering the access control system to grant or deny access. This robust, secure process ensures that no biometric data is shared with any external entities, satisfying stringent data privacy and compliance requirements.
Zwipe Access cards offer lightning-fast and convenient multi-factor authentication for organizations without replacing existing physical or logical access control readers.
Mike Keadle, Director of Estimating at NCS, emphasizes the commitment to security technology solutions, stating, "Our goal is to provide security technology solutions that unequivocally verify the identities of individuals entering and moving within our customers' facilities. Zwipe Access is an excellent solution to enhance our security technology offerings for physical access control, incorporating multifactor authentication through biometrics at a fraction of the cost of alternative technologies. We are confident in offering this exceptional card solution, which also addresses today's hygiene concerns, as only the card owner ever comes into contact with it, unlike biometric readers shared among multiple users."
Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe, enthusiastically describes the partnership's potential, asserting, “The future of secure and convenient access control is available today through Zwipe Access. Our innovative solution facilitates swift and hygienic biometric identity verification while mitigating the risks associated with lost or stolen access cards. We warmly welcome this collaboration with NCS and eagerly anticipate enabling them to provide genuine multifactor biometric authentication to their valued customers.”
About NCS
NCS was founded in 1981 in Houston, TX, as a technology-driven, single-source solution provider for all our client’s audio-visual, cabling infrastructure, design-consulting, networking, and security needs. Since then, we have grown to more than 300 employees across six Texas locations. We have expanded our services to inbuilding wireless systems to deliver public safety and cellular communications and network-powered lighting systems.
For more information, visit www.ncs-tx.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 technology for payment, physical and 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 www.zwipe.com.
OSLO, NORWAY and CALIFORNIA, USA – 04 October 2023 – Zwipe has become a Subscriber to EMVCo, a global technical body that facilitates the worldwide interoperability and acceptance of secure payment transactions by managing and evolving EMV®* Specifications and related testing processes.
Through this participation, Zwipe will be engaging with EMVCo and industry stakeholders to contribute to EMVCo’s ‘Biometric on Card’ work, which is exploring the development of performance and security requirements as well as approval and evaluation frameworks for biometric payment cards. Zwipe will provide its deep technical expertise, field return experience and learnings on biometric payment cards, as a widely recognized pioneer in this domain for many years.
Speaking on this development, Oliver Manahan, Director of Engagement and Operations at EMVCo, said, “We’re delighted that Zwipe has decided to become an EMVCo Subscriber. We look forward to their participation in EMVCo’s work and the opportunity to benefit from their industry expertise.”
EMVCo is exploring the development of dedicated performance and security requirements for biometric payment cards, together with supporting approval and evaluation processes, to help balance convenience and security while considering the unique challenges.
“We welcome this EMVCo initiative, which will greatly simplify market introduction of biometric payment cards by the issuers, banks and fintechs, and further accelerate market adoption of this convenient and secure payment product”, said Patrice Meilland, Chief Strategy, Product and Marketing Officer at Zwipe.
About EMVCo
EMVCo creates and manages EMV Specifications and programmes that enable seamless and secure card-based payments for businesses and consumers worldwide.
EMV Specifications support technologies including EMV Chip Contact, EMV Chip Contactless, Mobile, QR Code, Secure Remote Commerce (SRC), 3-D Secure (3DS) and Payment Tokenisation and are widely used by the payments industry to develop products and services that deliver trusted and convenient in-store, online and remote card-based payments.
As a global technical body, EMVCo is collectively owned by American Express, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, UnionPay and Visa. Hundreds of payments stakeholders, including merchants, banks and technology providers, participate as EMVCo Associates and Subscribers to develop, evolve and enhance flexible EMV Specifications that support innovation and address marketplace needs. All EMV Specifications are available royalty free on the EMVCo website.
*EMV® is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries and an unregistered trademark elsewhere. The EMV trademark is owned by EMVCo, LLC.
To learn more, please visit www.emvco.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 & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and ID 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, please visit www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 25 September 2023 – Zwipe announces today that Tanya Juul Kjær, member of the Board of Directors, has resigned with immediate effect due to time constraints involving her myriad other professional commitments. Ms. Kjær has been a member of Zwipe’s Board of Directors since May 2019 and will not be immediately replaced.
Jörgen Lantto, Chairman of the Board of Directors comments, “We have appreciated Tanya’s contributions to further developing the company over the last two plus years as well as her valuable strategic insights, and wish her all the best for the future.”
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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 08:00 on 25 September 2023.
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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 technology for payment and access control 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
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 11 September 2023 – Zwipe announces today that Eric Mercer, COO of Zwipe AS and CEO of Zwipe America, will leave the company as a result of the June streamlining announcement and closure of the Zwipe America subsidiary. He has accepted a new position as Director of Finance with a US-based company.
Mr. Mercer has been with Zwipe for 5.5 years and has been very important in leading Zwipe to where it stands today. He has worn various hats over the years: managing our global operations, quality and supply chain management, acting as program manager for Zwipe Pay and Zwipe Access, leading Zwipe America when it was a large team, developing personnel, and managing key partnerships across the value chain.
Robert Puskaric, CEO of Zwipe AS comments “Zwipe has taken major steps over the past years with the development and certification of Zwipe Pay, the creation of Zwipe Access as a separate business line, establishment of go-to-market partnerships and listing on Euronext Growth Oslo and Nasdaq First North Stockholm. We would like to thank Eric for his contributions to all Zwipe has achieved and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Mr. Mercer will remain with the company through 29 September 2023.
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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 technology for payment and access control 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
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 8 September 2023 – Eric Mercer, COO of Zwipe AS, has today sold a total of 25,500 shares in Zwipe AS. After this transaction, Eric Mercer holds no remaining shares in Zwipe AS.
20,000 shares were sold on Euronext Growth Oslo at a price of 2.1035 NOK and 5,500 shares were sold on Nasdaq First North Growth Market at a price of 2.19 SEK.
Attached are copies of the forms submitted to the Norwegian FSA, Finanstilsynet, reporting the transactions as listed above.
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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. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 18:40 on 8 September 2023.
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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 technology for payment and access control 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
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – 4 SEPTEMBER 2023 – AWT, one of the prominent security companies in Sweden focusing on providing advanced security solutions has partnered with Zwipe as its technology partner in pursuing the global market opportunities for biometric access cards.
With Zwipe Access, AWT will be able to deliver highly advanced and secure biometric card products that are also user-friendly. As a part of the agreement, AWT will be able to offer a flexible and secure premium security solution with biometric access cards with Zwipe.
According to Per Lindstrand, CEO of AWT, “In today’s highly secure working environment, having modern capabilities or access to newer door technologies is critical. The biometric solution provided by Zwipe combines breakthrough technologies and is the ideal platform for the next generation of highly secure access and ID cards.”
“We are happy to partner with AWT, a leading advanced security solution provider. We look forward to strengthening this relationship for supplying biometrics-enabled cards to our integration partners for access control solutions and their customers in airport, data center, critical infrastructure and other secure facilities globally,” says Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe.
About AWT
Access World Technic (AWT), founded in 1993, is a high-quality security company focused on centralized premium security solutions that use access control, video surveillance and intrusion detection to secure, protect and monitor facilities such as offices, data centers, warehouses and other large production facilities.
For more information, visit www.awt.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 www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY– 6 JULY 2020 – It has been a busy and momentous last few months in the world of biometric payments. I am pleased to see how our partners and customers are strengthening their capacity to deliver next generation contactless payment solutions powered by biometric payments platforms from Zwipe. We observe first-hand an increasing awareness and interest from banks, local card schemes and even retailers that are sharing the view that biometric payments provide significant value to consumers.
What is happening in the marketplace?
Several “1st generation” biometric payment card platforms are now making their way towards the first small-scale commercial launches in 2020. These recent developments clearly signal that this technology will see commercial break-through, representing not only a means for banks to offer “peace of mind” to cardholders and achieve top-of-wallet effects, but also to realize a new source of revenue and value creation.
For fully understandable reasons, the payments ecosystem is by and large conservative, cost conscious and risk averse. This is why the biometric payments market has been long in the making.
Things are now changing, however. At an accelerating pace. Observing how the engagement and proactivity of our partners and the ecosystem are currently growing, I see clear indications that momentum is building, with awareness and interest increasing everywhere.
The team at Zwipe and myself are very excited by this progress.
Here is an overview of our recent major announcements:
It is all coming together
On the supply side, technology advancement, radical cost reduction and scalable production readiness are factors that make biometric payment a feasible proposition. On the demand side, COVID-19 has triggered growing demand and awareness for safe and hygienic payments in the entire society, with transaction limits raised in more than 40 countries worldwide to avoid unnecessary PIN entry and contactless payment rapidly growing everywhere. This builds on the already strong consumer interest for biometric payments before COVID-19, driven by the demand for convenience, security and the “coolness factor” derived from innovative solutions.
Our Zwipe Pay ONE platform is progressing as planned to deliver superior energy efficiency and excellent biometric performance at significantly lowered manufacturing cost thanks to advanced, single-chip innovation. Our confidence that this will be a very compelling proposition has grown further based on the series of recent awards given by smart card manufacturers for Zwipe Pay ONE to power their upcoming biometric payment cards.
Zwipe has pioneered biometric payment card technology and we now see commercial opportunities and engagements developing across the payment ecosystems. We see growing interest from smart card manufacturers, banks, payment schemes and retailers to see how Zwipe can help them to address consumer needs and concerns over contactless payments.
What Zwipe does goes far beyond the technology, it is about helping every stakeholder maximize the value that biometric payments can bring to society. As communicated in our PR on 2 June, we are complementing our collaboration with our direct customers, the smart card manufacturers, by actively stepping up our engagements with banks and neo-banks, as well as new players in card issuance, such as retailers and tech companies. I feel confident that this will accelerate our route to success while creating value for our customers, shareholders, and consumers.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank each member of my great team at Zwipe for their relentless efforts in Making Convenience Safe and Secure. On behalf of everyone at Zwipe, I wish all our customers, partners, shareholders and avid followers a safe and happy summer.
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BOLOGNA, ITALY and OSLO, NORWAY– 1 July 2020 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and Publicenter, Italy’s largest domestic smart card manufacturer, are pleased to announce the launch of a collaboration aimed at bringing the next generation contactless experience, powered by biometric payment cards and wearables to financial institutions and consumers across Europe.
Publicenter is a VISA and Mastercard certified smart card manufacturer, with over forty years of experience in card production and personalization. It delivers payment, loyalty and gift cards to major banking and retail customers in Italy and Europe.
“We have seen firsthand the potential of biometric payment cards and successful market trials in Italy, run on the Zwipe platform. With many of our customers asking for this product, we are confident that the partnership with Zwipe will be the most cost effective and time efficient route for us to offer this solution at scale” says CEO of Publicenter, Sandro Mucelli.
In Italy, 50% of all POS transactions processed were already contactless* pre-COVID 2019, and, as a result of increased transaction limits and an elevated focus on safety, this has grown since. With businesses beginning to open again, Publicenter plans to engage with customers to promote the value-add of biometric payment solutions.
“We are excited to work with Publicenter who have strong engagements with banks and retailers across Europe, including in our own home region of the Nordics. Working together, we will identify new commercial opportunities for both companies and implement a successful roll-out of Zwipe Pay ONE,” says André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
*) Source: Europe; Spaargids.be; July 2018; Numbers concern payments processed by MasterCard
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About Publicenter
Publicenter has over forty years’ experience in high quality and cost-effective smart card production and personalization, being one of the leading card manufacturers in Europe. Main products are financial smart cards, loyalty/gift cards, and ID cards. Headquartered in Bologna, Italy, Publicenter is a Visa and Mastercard certified vendor for over 15 years. To learn more, visit www.publicenter.it
For more information contact: Sandro Mucelli, CEO, info@publicenter.it
OSLO, NORWAY – 29 June 2020 – Biometric fintech pioneer Zwipe and Thomas Greg and Sons do Brasil (TGS), one the largest smart card manufacturers in Latin America, are pleased to announce the extension of their exclusive partnership.
As part of uplifting the collaboration, TGS is commencing small scale manufacturing of biometric payment cards based on Zwipe’s platform, embracing the road to Zwipe Pay ONE and aiming to gradually ramp up production to address the ongoing market demand for safer and more secure contactless payments.
Since announcing the partnership in April 2019, the two companies have been working closely to fine-tune the technical aspects of the solution and evaluate the market appetite for biometric payments.
“We are now seeing increasing interest in biometric payment cards in our region, especially as consumers become much more familiar with contactless payments and demand safer and more hygienic payment alternatives in store. We have worked closely to adapt our manufacturing processes to integrate Zwipe’s biometric solution in our card production and we are excited to take this partnership to the next level,” says Mr. Hernani Finazzi, CEO of TGS.
“Latin America is a fast-emerging region when it comes to payment card usage. We are extremely glad TGS is taking a key step to embrace the Zwipe platform and bring our collaboration to a new level. We look forward to jointly addressing the needs of banks and consumers in Latin America going forward,” says André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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About Thomas Greg & Sons do Brasil
The group Thomas Greg & Sons established in Brazil in 2000 to serve the Brazilian security printing market. In its 20 years of operation, the company has consolidated as one of the largest companies in the segments of Security Prints, Solutions, Smart Cards, Identification Systems and Traceability. Currently, the group is present in thirteen countries, with more than 10,000 employees. In Brazil, it has a branch in eleven states providing the national driver's license, identity card with automated biometric identification system, vehicle ownership document, traceability stamps, diplomas, electoral system, smart cards, among others.
To learn more, visit www.thomasgreg.com.br
Media Contact for Thomas Greg & Sons do Brasil: Hernani Finazzi, CEO +55 11 2666 8821, vendas@thomasgreg.com.br
OSLO, NORWAY– 18 JUNE 2020 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and Watchdata Technologies, a pioneer in digital authentication and transaction security, have partnered to develop and launch next generation contactless payment cards and wearables and bring these innovations to banks in multiple regions.
Watchdata Technologies is a Beijing based Chinese company, with Singapore as its international headquarters. It is serving 80 million banking customers in over 70 countries, the company has extensive operations in China, France, Russia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Mexico. Watchdata offers a wide range of payment products and services and is a VISA, Mastercard, China UnionPay 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 card payments’ 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 Nicole Guo, Product Manager of Watchdata.
Zwipe will deliver key components and technical guidance as part of the agreement starting with biometric card payments.
Speaking on the partnership André Løvestam, CEO at Zwipe says “In China faster checkout in retail is cited as the number 1 priority for consumers. We are proud to partner with Watchdata, a fast-moving, innovative and global organization representing significant volume potential in many countries globally for the Zwipe Pay ONE platform. Together, we will develop and roll-out the next generation contactless experience through cards and wearables, addressing the security, safety and privacy needs of consumers worldwide.”
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About Watchdata Technologies
Watchdata Technologies is a recognized pioneer in digital authentication and transaction security. Founded in Beijing in 1994, Watchdata now have international headquarters in Singapore, 8 regional offices, and serve customers in over 70 countries. Watchdata customers include mobile network operators, financial institutions, transport operators, governments and leading business enterprises. Solutions from Watchdata provide daily convenience and security to over 1 billion mobile subscribers, 80 million e-banking customers and 50 million commuters. To learn more, visit www.watchdata.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 8 June 2020 – Zwipe is pleased to announce a new milestone in its ongoing collaboration with Toppan Forms Card Technologies Limited (TFCT), a leading smart card manufacturer based in Hong Kong.
TFCT has placed an order that brings the recently announced partnership to begin small scale manufacturing of biometric payment cards. This is a key milestone as part of the setup project and necessary developments in preparing for high-volume market roll-out of Zwipe Pay ONE.
“We have allocated time and space in our manufacturing facilities for producing biometric payment cards powered by Zwipe’s technology. We are excited to move ahead with Zwipe in this important project to develop the biometric payments market” says Mr. Joseph Hui, Deputy Managing Director of Toppan Forms Card Technologies Limited.
“The APAC payments market has one of the highest growth rates in the world. We are pleased that TFCT, a payment solutions leader in this region, has decided to step up cooperation to integrate our platform in their payment cards. We look forward to working closely with TFCT to deliver safer and more secure contactless payments with the disruptive Zwipe Pay ONE platform” says André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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OSLO, NORWAY– 02 June 2020 – Zwipe AS announces that Bishwajit Choudhary has accepted the position of Executive Vice President Strategy & Channels at Zwipe, commencing 2 June 2020. He will lead Zwipe’s engagement efforts towards banks, global and domestic card schemes, selected retailers and other important payments ecosystem stakeholders.
Based in Oslo, Mr. Choudhary brings two decades of experience from Nets where he led many new business initiatives within Digital-ID, electronic signatures and mobile authentication for international clients. As the Group SVP (Strategy) he led Nets' market intelligence and strategy execution and played a key role in many commercial initiatives, notably open-banking data analytics, customer advisory, strategic alliances and fintech partnerships. Prior to joining Zwipe, he was Chief Commercial Officer at UserTribe, a global leader in delivering deep customer insights in 100+ countries based on live experience data.
“With increasing activity in payment cards and wearables in general, and biometrics in particular, and with Zwipe poised to take a technology and cost leadership position in this high potential market, timing is right for Zwipe to complement our growing engagements with our direct customers, the smart card manufacturers, by embarking on a “pull strategy”. This means that we will step up our engagements with banks and neo-banks, as well as new players in card issuance, such as retailers and tech companies. With deep insights in the payments industry, Bishwajit will add a valuable breadth in our payments expertise and lead our strategy and channel development,” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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OSLO, NORWAY– 19 May 2020 –
Financial Calendar 2020 – 2021
Interim Report January-June 2020 August 27, 2020
Financial Year 2020 Annual Report February 25, 2021
Annual General Meeting May 19, 2021
Interim Report January-June 2021 August 26, 2021
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OSLO, NORWAY– 14 May 2020 – 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 11,2% of the votes in the company.
The following matters were reviewed and confirmed:
Approval of the annual report and financial statements for 2019:
The board’s proposal for the annual report and the financial statements for 2019 for the Company and the group were unanimously approved.
Election of members to the Board of Directors:
The following persons were unanimously elected to comprise the new Board of the Directors:
Remuneration to the members of the Board of Directors and the members of the Nomination Committee
Remuneration to the Board for the period from the AGM in 2020 until the AGM in 2021 were unanimously approved as follows:
Chairman of the Board: NOK 260.000,-
Members of the Board: NOK 130.000,-
As remuneration, it was unanimously approved that members of the Nomination committee each receive a total of NOK 40.000 for each year in the term they have served (two years). Jörgen Lantto is covered by the board member remuneration and will hence not receive remuneration for his seat on the nomination committee.
Board authorizations and instructions to the Board regarding use of the authorization to issue shares to increase 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.
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 216 946.70 (2,169,647new shares), equivalent to 8.5% 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 2021, however not beyond 30 June 2021. The pre-emptive right of the shareholders to subscribe may be set aside.
ii. Authorization for capital increase to strengthen the Company's equity (extract, please see the attachment to the notice for the complete proposal)
The Annual General Meeting resolved that the General Meeting granted a new authorization to the Board to issue shares corresponding to up to 25% 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 may be used to issue 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 2021, however not beyond 30 June 2021. 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 Oslo Børs Merkur Market 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 14, 2020 at 23:15 CET
OSLO, NORWAY – 7 MAY 2020 –
Q1 2020 Highlights
Developments after the period
CEO Comment
André Løvestam, Chief Executive Officer at Zwipe, said:
“Q1 2020 has been an intense quarter for Zwipe.
We started the year by listing on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market on January 28th, and have seen considerable interest in Zwipe across the Swedish investment community.
This quarter has also been marked by unprecedented global uncertainty tied to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. With the aim to protect our employees from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Zwipe quickly adapted with various protective measures such as remote work and travel bans. We have been able to continue operating remotely, with little to no impact being seen across our operations. Our commercial team has ramped up activity and been able to engage more frequently and openly as a result of the entire industry transitioning to videoconferencing as opposed to travel-intensive face-to-face meetings.
We observe an extensive focus on and interest in the improved hygiene and safety of biometric payment solutions; the awareness of biometric advantages is significantly higher than pre-Corona. This elevated focus on safety has significantly increased the growth of contactless transactions, and transaction caps have been raised all over the world1. Hygiene may become an accelerator and game-changer for biometric payments. A biometric payment card effectively eliminates the need to ever touch the payment terminal keypad – regular cards require PIN above the transaction limit, after a set number of transactions, and when the cumulative value of transactions has reached its limit.
We are seeing growing momentum across the payment ecosystem with increasing investment in supporting biometric payment card deployment. Zwipe is now working closely with partners across the value chain in developing a highly competitive offering in terms of energy efficiency and biometric performance at industry-leading manufacturing costs; Zwipe Pay ONE. This next generation contactless technology will achieve a radically lower total manufacturing cost per card, which we believe will be key to accelerate the volume market take-off. Therefore, we are proud and satisfied that the Zwipe Pay ONE project and the collaboration with Idemia and Idex is on track, as announced in April. The first samples of the new single chip have been manufactured and successfully powered-on. This development is very positive as our customers wish to get access to Zwipe Pay ONE as early as possible to be able to serve card issuers with the market’s most cost-effective biometric payment cards.
Recent certification industry announcements bring further confidence to the trajectory of biometric payment card rollout. Certification of payment products is a rigorous and capital-intensive process for card manufacturers and a strong signal of intent to capitalize on the next natural step for payment cards, following the introduction of dual-interface payment cards in 2007.
I am also satisfied with the very good progress in the wearable project announced with G+D in September, as this project is also on track.
Looking ahead, we are committed to supporting our customers to elevate their product portfolios by making it easy to integrate biometric payment solutions. Key to this work is technical deliverables and sharing the expertise we have built from having the most widely piloted solution to position, educate and market biometric payment cards to banks and issuers. We are doing everything in our power to build and maintain strong relationships with our industry-leading partners that will create sustainable long-term commercial opportunities for themselves and Zwipe going forward.”
Financial Update
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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 Oslo Børs Merkur Market, Nasdaq First North Growth Market and the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, on May 7, 2020 at 08:30 CEST
