OSLO, NORWAY - 19 April 2022 - The share capital increase of 150,000 new shares in Zwipe AS, as resolved by the board meeting of the company on 24 March 2022, has today been registered in the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises. The new share capital is NOK 3,751,668.50, and the new number of shares and votes is 37,516,685
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
For more information, please contact:
Lars Kristian Solheim, CFO
+47 991 661 35
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 Stockholm. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0) 8528 00 399. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 11:30 CET on 19 April 2022.
OSLO, NORWAY and ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – 14 April 2022 – Zwipe, a leading provider of on-card biometric solutions, has partnered with LEGIC Identsystems, one of the leading experts in end-to-end security for smartphone and smartcard-based access and mobility solutions. The partnership will provide end-to-end biometric access control solutions using LEGIC’s Security Platform.
On the backdrop of increasing requirements for security, data privacy and GDPR compliance, Zwipe and LEGIC Identsystems have successfully combined their respective high performance and innovative technologies for a next generation biometric system-on-card for access control. This solution provides highly secure multi-factor authentication integrated in an ID-Card form factor.
Speaking on the partnership, John Harvey, Head of BU Access Control at LEGIC said, “Zwipe’s embedded biometric verification in batteryless smartcards adds a revolutionary new layer of security to the huge installed base of LEGIC card-based access control systems worldwide. This innovation brings benefits that were formerly only available on smartphone solutions, while preserving existing infrastructure and drastically reducing time-to-market ”.
“We are very excited with our cooperation with LEGIC, one of the leading global providers of end-to-end security platforms for smartphone- and smartcard-based access, mobility, shared resource and industrial IoT applications. We are already working on several sharp customer cases based on LEGIC’s Security Platform. We are confident this is only the start of a long series of opportunities with LEGIC”, said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
Zwipe Access adds two-factor authentication to existing contactless card-based access control systems without the need to upgrade any of the existing infrastructures, meaning that no new readers, pin pads or cameras need be installed at the doors, gates, or turnstiles. The authorized user’s fingerprints data are captured, using the card’s integrated fingerprint sensor, encrypted, and then stored in the card's secure element.
The biometric data are not shared with anyone, and no database is needed which ensures privacy and simplifies the path towards GDPR’s compliance. The biometric verification on card ensures that only the legitimate cardholder is granted access. Zwipe Access is contactless, batteryless and easy to use, with significantly shorter transaction time than conventional biometric access control systems.
To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 93 43 69 52 info@zwipe.com
About LEGIC
For over 25 years, Swiss-based LEGIC Identsystems has enabled companies from around the world to deploy solutions with demanding security requirements. Based on key management, trusted services, and secure, contactless semiconductors, the LEGIC Security Platform provides end-to-end security for smartphone- and smartcard-based access, mobility, shared resource and industrial IoT applications.
For more information, please contact Natascha Marty, Corporate Communications Manager, LEGIC Identsystems Ltd. at + 41 44 933 64 64 or natascha.marty@legic.co
OSLO, NORWAY and AMMAN, JORDAN – 12 April 2022 – Zwipe and CSC-Jordan are pleased to announce their collaboration to pilot Biometric Payment Cards built on the Zwipe Pay platform. This pilot will be deployed with CSC-Jordan's own issued cards, paving the way for CSC-Jordan's client banks to also launch their new card products powered by biometrics from Zwipe.
CSC-Jordan is an issuer, acquirer and processor, servicing many banks in Jordan and expanding into many other territories in the region. The company offers a bouquet of services and secure payment technologies in the management and operation of electronic payment systems, including processing and authorizing financial transactions, as well as connecting ATMs and point of sale (POS) networks. CSC-Jordan is licensed by both Visa and MasterCard for which they currently issue cards.
Speaking on this development, Mr. Basem Dweik, General Manager at CSC-Jordan said, “We are pleased to partner with Zwipe, a global technology brand in biometric payment cards, to bring next generation contactless payment experience – ensuring top-class security and user experience for customers. We are aiming for the pilot to commence in the early summer of 2022.”
As part of this partnership, Zwipe will support CSC-Jordan through all stages of issuing the next generation payment cards and also offer them to other issuers in Jordan.
Ramzi Saboury, General Manager of Zwipe in the MENA Region said, “We are excited to partner with CSC-Jordan. Being a leading and multi-faceted payment company, combining its roles as issuer, acquirer and processor, CSC-Jordan is able to expand the partnership and will enable all the clients of CSC-Jordan who are interested in the next gen biometric payment cards to pilot and launch the product.”
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 93 43 69 52 info@zwipe.com
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About CSC-Jordan
At CSC-Jordan, we are proud of our role in creating the future through providing the best and latest technological solutions across all forms of electronic payments, as well as our ATM management services. We provide banks, financial institutions, retailers, companies a road to success, offering innovative solutions that are defined by their flexibility and security.
CSC-Jordan offers a bouquet of services and secure payment technologies in the management and operation of electronic payment systems. Our services include processing and authorizing financial transactions, as well as connecting ATMs and point of sale (POS) networks, along with
managing and organizing clearing and settlement procedures for financial operations. In addition, CSC is a payment services provider that exclusively issues all types of payment cards depending on our clients’ needs. We are also the proud owners and providers of the Islamic Visa credit card – Arabex. All our services respond to the developments in Jordan’s electronic payment market.
To learn more, visit www.cscjordan.com
OSLO, NORWAY and BAGHDAD, IRAQ – 4 April 2022 – Zwipe and the National Bank of Iraq are pleased to confirm that they will pilot Biometric Payment Cards built on the Zwipe Pay platform, making it one of the first pilots of the next generation contactless payment cards in Iraq.
The National Bank of Iraq (NBI) is one of the largest private banks in the country. Its majority ownership and management has been under Jordan's Capital Bank Group since 2005. The bank provides a comprehensive range of banking services to corporates and consumers. Today, NBI has 19 branches in all major cities in Iraq, a key emerging market in the Middle East seeking innovation in its payment ecosystem to minimize fraud and corruption and deliver an excellent user experience.
Speaking on this development, Mr. Ayman Abu Dhaim, CEO at the National Bank of Iraq said, “We are very pleased to partner with Zwipe, a leading technology brand in biometric payment cards globally, and areeba, a leading payment service provider in the region. We are keen to be amongst the first banks in the region to introduce this world-class innovation, ensuring that our customers are extremely well protected when using payment cards while enjoying a great user experience. We are aiming for the pilot to commence in the summer of 2022.”
Mr. Issam Adra, General Manager of areeba Iraq, added: “Biometric payment cards will make the lives of NBI’s customers frictionless, safer, and more secure. areeba is a well-known frontrunner in bringing wide-ranging payment innovations to markets. Zwipe is our well-established partner for biometric payment cards, and we are very pleased about extending our collaboration to Iraq.”
Ramzi Saboury, General Manager of Zwipe in the MENA Region said, “We are excited to partner with the National Bank of Iraq. I am pleased that our collaboration with the Central Bank of Iraq has encouraged leading Iraqi issuers such as NBI to embrace next-generation payment cards. With 40 million inhabitants and 7 million payment cards, expected to grow to more than 10 million over the next 4 years according to the World Bank, Iraq represents a significant growth opportunity for Zwipe in the Middle East.”
About NBI
National Bank of Iraq, owned by Jordan's Capital Bank Group since 2005, provides a comprehensive range of innovative banking services to corporates and individuals in Iraq. With its extensive network of correspondent banks, Capital Bank stands as National Bank of Iraq’s gateway to global economies, as it facilitates sending and receiving internal and external transfers, granting credit facilities, and providing trade finance services. National Bank of Iraq can trade on behalf of its clients in the Jordanian market and in global markets through Capital Investments, Capital Bank’s investment arm- as well as providing trading services in the Iraq Stock Exchange through its wholly owned subsidiary.
The acquisition that Capital Bank Group undertook towards the end of 2020 of the Lebanese Bank Audi business in Jordan and Iraq reinforced the group’s expansion and presence in these two markets, as the branches of the National Bank of Iraq increased from 13 to 19 branches in all major cities.
In addition, the National Bank of Iraq is furthering its regional expansion with the recently established operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
About areeba
AREEBA IRAQ FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND ELECTRONIC PAYMENT LLC (PRIVATE COMPANY) is an Iraqi entity fully regulated and licensed by the Central Bank of Iraq for issuing, processing and acquiring services under CBI license number 12, provides smarter, faster, and seamless payment solutions for banks, financial institutions, merchants, governments and individuals. Areeba-Iraq takes the business further by introducing new technologies to facilitate cashless payment in Iraq. Areeba-Iraq is ultimately owned by Areeba Holding Limited, the leading operating firm in the region; and is a principal member at Mastercard and Visa, as well as it has a strategic partnership with American Express.
For further information please contact: Issam Adra, General Manager , +9647803988098, www.areeba.iq or e-mail: iraq@areeba.iq
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries & cultures to make convenience safe & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 93 43 69 52 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 1 April 2022 – Zwipe, a leading biometric fintech company, is delighted to announce that Mr. Patrice Meilland is appointed as Chief Strategy and Product Officer effective today. Mr. Meilland’s main focus areas will be strategy, strategic partnerships and Zwipe’s product portfolio and roadmap. The product management team is placed under his leadership.
Mr. Meilland joins Zwipe from the position as SVP of Advanced Cards at Idemia, where he was responsible for Idemia’s biometric cards roadmap, including the BioSE project, as well as product lines such as eco-friendly cards, dynamic CVV cards, transport and urban mobility cards.
Mr. Meilland’s extensive business and technical experience in the semiconductor, mobile, and payment card industries include 7 years at Idemia and 26 years at STMicroelectronics and ST-Ericsson. Mr. Meilland has had P&L responsibility for businesses of over $500m and 400 persons and has acquired deep experience in strategy, business development, supply chain management, product management and more.
“I am delighted and proud to welcome Patrice to Zwipe. He is a transformative leader with a global perspective and deep industry insights gathered over more than 30 years in the industry. He is highly respected, knowledgeable and connected. As Zwipe’s Chief Strategy and Product Officer, Patrice will help defining our strategy and driving our future growth with our strategic partners and the product team, enabling Zwipe to remain one of the most competitive and dynamic companies in the industry”, said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
Mr. Meilland will be a member of Zwipe’s senior management team and report to the CEO.
“I am honored to join Zwipe and am looking forward to helping grow the company and its business, as well as working with the industry and ecosystem to foster adoption of biometric cards across various segments. I am also deeply convinced that, as a leading biometric fintech company, Zwipe has an important role to play in the evolution of payments and access towards biometry, and I see great potential ahead for development and growth”, said Patrice Meilland, Zwipe’s new Chief Strategy and Product Officer.
For further information, please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 93 43 69 52 info@zwipe.com
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries & cultures to make convenience safe & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and 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, visit www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY - 29 March 2022 - Tag Systems, a leading provider of payment cards (and part of the AUSTRIACARD Group) has obtained the Letter of Approval (LoA) from VISA that enables the production of certified biometric payment cards using the Zwipe Pay platform.
This development confirms that Zwipe's complete solution is ready for full scale production by Tag Systems for adoption by issuers globally. Zwipe obtained its VISA Letter of Approval (LoA) for its Zwipe Pay platform on 24 March 2022, enabling smart card manufacturers working with Zwipe to swiftly obtain VISA certification for their own biometric payment card designs.
“We are pleased to see the second certification granted to our customers for biometric cards based on Zwipe Pay. On behalf of everyone at Zwipe, I would like to congratulate the team at Tag Systems and Austria Card Group on this achievement. We are ready to support your deployments,” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries & cultures to make convenience safe & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and 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, visit www.zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 93 43 69 52 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 28 March 2022 – Zwipe, a leading provider of on-card biometric solutions, confirms that its biometric access control solution, Zwipe Access, has been selected by Fraport AG as one of two partners in Fraport’s “Biometrics@Controllane” project.
Fraport AG – which ranks among the world’s leading companies in the global airport business – offers a full range of integrated airport management services and boasts subsidiaries and investments around the globe. It operates within 31 airports globally, including the main airports in Frankfurt (FRA), New York (JFK), New Jersey (EWR), Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Cleveland (CLE), Nashville (BNA), Pittsburgh (PIT) and Delhi, India (DEL). Fraport has recently launched a project within its Digital Factory to identify the optimal solution for performing a biometric comparison between the airport ID card and the person requesting access. The technology is planned to be used on a few selected security checkpoints first.
Zwipe Access is a new, highly secure and at the same time easy to handle biometric smart card solution for access control. It is battery-less and fully compatible with market-leading card-based access control infrastructures. Zwipe Access adds two-factor authentication to existing contactless card-based access control systems without the need to upgrade any of the existing infrastructures, meaning that no new readers, pin pads or cameras need be installed at the doors, gates, or turnstiles. The biometric authentication provides assurance that only the legitimate person is granted access.
“We are delighted to be selected as finalists in this MVP process for Fraport AG, a lighthouse and leading innovator in the global airport industry. We look forward to demonstrating the security and excellent user experience of Zwipe Access in this MVP over the course of this summer. Authenticating legitimate access card holders, Zwipe Access provides a step change in security and control without changing the existing backend infrastructures and thereby saving cost and time,” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 93 43 69 52 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY - 25th March 2022 - Zwipe is pleased to confirm that Beautiful Card Corporation (BCC), a prominent Taiwanese card manufacturer with global deliveries, has obtained the Letter of Approval from VISA for its biometric payment cards based on the Zwipe Pay platform.
This development confirms that Zwipe's complete solution is now ready for full scale production by BCC for adoption by issuers globally. Zwipe obtained its VISA Letter of Approval (LoA) for its Zwipe Pay platform on 24th March 2022, enabling smart card manufacturers working with Zwipe to leverage Zwipe’s certification results to swiftly obtain VISA certification for their own biometric payment card designs.
“It is great to see the first confirmation of certification of biometric cards based on Zwipe Pay from one of our valued customers. We congratulate BCC on their achievement and look forward to supporting them on their growth journey powered by biometrics from Zwipe,” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries & cultures to make convenience safe & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and 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, visit www.zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 93 43 69 52 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 24 March 2022 – Zwipe, a leading provider of biometric payment card solutions, is proud to announce that it has obtained the Letter of Approval (LoA) from Visa for the Zwipe Pay platform, the most advanced biometric card solution available to all smart card manufacturers in the market today. This LoA enables Zwipe’s customers (smart card manufacturers) to leverage Zwipe’s certification results to obtain Visa certification for their own biometric payment card designs.
Zwipe Pay passed all tests required to obtain the Visa Letter of Approval. This confirms that the Zwipe Pay biometric payment card platform meets the security and performance standards required by Visa. Zwipe’s complete end-to-end solution is now ready for full scale production by smart card manufacturers and adoption by issuers. The product is approved for issuance anywhere in the world.
Issuers can now leverage Visa’s global network and start to deliver biometric payment cards, built on Zwipe Pay technology.
“Having the Zwipe Pay platform certified by Visa is a historic milestone for Zwipe and our customers. Consumers will benefit from more convenient, safe, and secure ways to pay. Issuers will have the opportunity to create differentiation, accelerate customer acquisition, uplift loyalty and create new revenue streams. The pathway is now open for smart card manufacturers and issuers all over the world to certify, produce and deploy biometric Visa cards based on Zwipe Pay,” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries & cultures to make convenience safe & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and 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, visit www.zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 93 43 69 52 info@zwipe.com
This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo, 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 above, at 09:45 CET on 24 March 2022.
The Board of Directors of Zwipe AS, org. nr 994 553 607, has on November 10, 2019, subject to the approval by an Extraordinary General Meeting, decided to carry out a preferential rights issue of up to MNOK 74 by issuing up to 10 635 525 shares, implying an increase of the Company’s share capital of up to NOK 1 063 553.
90 percent of the Rights Issue, amounting to MNOK 67, is already covered through subscription commitments and underwriting commitments from current shareholders and new investors.
Background and purpose
During 2019 Zwipe has made significant technological, commercial and organizational progress. Most notably, Zwipe entered a strategic collaboration with Idemia on a disruptive technology platform for biometric payments. Furthermore, Zwipe successfully completed the prototyping of its in-house Z5 energy harvesting and power management chip, extended its network of card manufacturer clients, delivered according to its first received order for its second generation inlay technology, and was engaged by G+D Mobile Security to provide product design and prototyping for a wearable biometric payment device to be piloted by a leading bank.
The preferential rights issue is carried out in order to secure working capital toward commercialization and scale-up of Zwipe’s technology platform. The commercialization efforts will be accompanied by a targeted program to focus and streamline the company’s resources.
CEO André Løvestam commented “This rights issue is planned to extend Zwipe’s financial runway all the way to scale-up of biometric cards, and I am pleased that we have achieved a 90% guaranteed subscription. We now see a clear path toward finalizing and commercializing our technology, with the required capital resources to get to that point.
Zwipe is streamlining its product roadmap and pursuing cost saving opportunities that will reduce the current burn-rate. This has been made possible on the back of the strategic collaboration with Idemia, the global leader in Augmented Identity and one of the world’s largest payment card manufacturers, on a disruptive technology platform that we together with our partner Idemia believe is a game changer and a catalyst for growth in the industry. The new platform will integrate and simplify component design, drastically reducing costs of the product itself and the manufacturing process. As a result, a complete biometric payment card cost of below USD 10 is becoming realistic, providing an accelerated path to mass volumes while giving Zwipe a long-term cost leadership position.”
Summary of Rights Issue
The subscription price is NOK 7.00 per share. The Company’s shareholders have preferential rights to subscribe to the new shares in relation to the number of shares currently held. For each recorded share the shareholder obtains one (1) subscription right. Three (3) subscription rights entitle to subscription of two (2) newly issued shares.
The Record Date for participation in the Rights Issue is planned for December 4, 2019. The subscription period is expected to run from December 5 up to and including December 19, 2019. The Board of Directors shall have the right to extend the subscription period if deemed beneficial. In the event that not all shares have been subscribed for in the Rights Issue, the Board of Directors, within the maximum scope of the Rights Issue, resolve on the allocation of shares subscribed for without subscription rights.
The Company has obtained subscription commitments and undertaking commitments from a number of current shareholders and external investors. The subscription commitments from existing shareholders, and external investors who will receive subscription rights from major shareholders who cannot participate, amount to 16.1 percent of the Rights Issue. Underwriting commitments amount to an additional 73.9 percent of the Rights Issue. In total, the subscription commitments and underwriting commitments from current shareholders and new investors amount to MNOK 67.0, corresponding to 90.0 percent of the Rights Issue.
Timetable for the Rights Issue
The below timetable for the Rights Issue is preliminary and may be adjusted:
Prospectus
Complete information regarding the Rights Issue and information about the Company will be included in the prospectus that is expected to be published on or about December 4, 2019.
Extraordinary General Meeting
To obtain approval to carry out the Rights Issue, the Board of Directors has decided to call for an extraordinary general meeting. The extraordinary general meeting is to be held on December 2, 2019 at 11:30 at the office of Simonsen Vogt Wiig Advokatfirma, Filipstad Brygge 1, Oslo. The notice of the meeting will be published today through a separate press release.
For further information please contact:
André Løvestam, CEO: andre@zwipe.com +47 93 43 69 52
Lars Myren, Interim CFO: lars@zwipe.com +47 90 94 36 60
Advisors
In connection with the Rights Issue, Zwipe has appointed Erik Penser Bank AB (publ) as book runner, and Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig AS as legal advisor.
For more information, please visit www.zwipe.com
Important information
The information in this press release does not constitute an offer to sell, acquire, subscribe for or otherwise trade in shares or other securities issued by Zwipe AS. No offer will be made in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful or where this would require registration, publication of a prospectus or similar action. Invitation to interested parties to subscribe for shares in Zwipe AS will only be made through the prospectus that Zwipe AS will publish.
There will be no public offer of shares in the United States. The new shares have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or under the securities law of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be reoffered, resold, pledged or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, except (a) outside the United States in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 of Regulation S, as applicable or (b) pursuant to Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act by executing and delivering a separate U.S. investor representation letter to the manager. A person in the United States or who is a “U.S. Person” (within the meaning of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act), may not apply for Offer Shares or otherwise take steps in order to subscribe for or purchase Offer Shares unless the subscriber has confirmed to the manager that it is a "qualified institutional buyer" ("QIB") as defined in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act, acquiring the Offer Shares for investments purposes for its own account or for one or more accounts of another/other QIB(s), where it has investment discretion over such accounts in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements under the U.S. Securities Act by executing and delivering a U.S. investor representation letter to the manager. The Offer Shares are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the U.S. Securities Act and may not be deposited into any unrestricted depositary receipt facility in the United States, unless at the time of deposit the Offer Shares are no longer "restricted securities".
The information in this press release may not be released, published, reproduced or distributed in or to the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa or New Zealand or any other country or jurisdiction where such action is not permitted or where such action is subject to legal restrictions or would require further registration or other measures than what is required by Norwegian and / or Swedish law. Measures contrary to this instruction may constitute a breach of applicable securities legislation.
OSLO, NORWAY – 6 November 2019
Q3 2019 highlights and recent developments
During the third quarter Zwipe focused on extending its technology portfolio and network of partners covering the biometric payment card and wearables value chain:
Status update from the CEO
André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe said ”Q3 2019 exceeded our expectations and we are happy with the major milestones we have completed over the last months. The announced collaboration with Idemia on a disruptive technology platform for biometric payments represents a defining moment for Zwipe. The new biometric payments platform will drastically reduce product and manufacturing costs by integrating into a single chip the functions that previously required a Secure Element, a Microcontroller, and more than thirty external components. This enables Zwipe to take a strong cost leadership position and gain competitive advantage as the industry moves towards large-scale volumes.
In parallel, we are forging ahead with our internal research and development activities and have expanded our intellectual property (IP) portfolio. In the period, our in-house IP development has progressed well. Zwipe now has 31 granted patents across 10 patent families in its IP portfolio, representing significant licensing revenue potential for the company going forward. Immediately after the closing of Q3, we announced the successful completion of a two-year development project: a working prototype of our Z5 chip which we plan to commercialize to stakeholders across the payments ecosystem, both as a stand-alone chip and as part of our biometric payment platform, the biometric inlay.
We have complemented our products with services. At the end of the quarter, Zwipe introduced the “Zwipe Experience” to its customers – a comprehensive program of products and services, enabling the card manufacturers to prepare for all aspects of launching biometric payment cards.
With product development taking positive strides, we have also continued expanding our network of customers. In Q3 we added Thailand-based card manufacturer dz card to our already substantial global customer network. Dz card plans to launch biometric payment solutions to address the emerging needs of customers in Thailand and across Southeast Asia, a region poised to see exponential growth in payment card adoption over the coming years.
Beyond dual-interface payment cards, we are pursuing complementary payment solutions where our technology represents a competitive advantage for our customers. During the quarter, we announced that we had been engaged by G+D Mobile Security, one of the world’s largest players within security solutions, to provide product design and prototyping for a wearable biometric payment device to be piloted by a leading bank.
With good momentum in these two emerging product verticals, we are confident that our focus on building relationships with our customers will play a major role in securing both short- and long-term success for the company. The new relationships diversify our customer base and extend our geographical presence, securing ties with regional leading card manufacturers and banks. Industry leaders in the biometric payment industry such as Idemia and G&D are firming up their roles, setting up commercial structures and investing in trial and production capacity. The fact that they select Zwipe as a key partner for their endeavours is a testament to our strong role in the value-chain.
It is exciting for us to see that our future potential is materializing in near-term commercial opportunities. Our initial sales of biometric card inlays, and customer-funded engineering efforts are opening doors for greater opportunities going forward. I am delighted to see that the steps we have taken are starting to bear fruit.”
Financials and Significant Events During Third Quarter 2019
Financial Status
During the third quarter Zwipe had revenues of MNOK 1.0 (0.9) representing sale of products for trial purposes as well as NRE invoiced to certain customers for specific developments. Accumulated revenues for the year amount to MNOK 1.3 (1.6).
Average monthly cash flow during Q3 2019 was MNOK -7.6 (-5.6), compared to MNOK -8.9 in the first half of 2019. The closing cash balance at end of Q3 was MNOK 51.0.
Subsequent event: Completed prototype Zwipe Z5 chip
After closing of the third quarter, Zwipe announced the successful prototype completion and power-on of its in-house developed “Z5” energy harvesting and power management integrated circuit (ASIC). The proprietary new chip is a significant milestone in component consolidation, cost reduction and efficiency improvement for Zwipe. Commercial samples are planned to be ready by mid-2020, by which time mass production can start. The Z5 chip will precede and subsequently complement the emerging biometric payment technology platform announced with Idemia.
OSLO, NORWAY – 14 OCTOBER 2019 – Biometric technology company Zwipe is pleased to announce the prototype manufacturing and successful power-on of its Z5 chip, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) developed by Zwipe and supported by proprietary energy harvesting IP.
The Zwipe Z5 consolidates components required for contactless energy harvesting and power management in one chip, reducing cost and improving the power efficiency and the manufacturability of embedded biometric solutions. This proprietary embedded chip will be a key commercial element for Zwipe’s biometric products for payment and beyond.
Commenting on this important breakthrough, André Løvestam CEO of Zwipe said, “this is an important milestone for the company, and a key part of Zwipe’s Generation NxT initiative focusing on cost reduction and supply-chain readiness to improve our competitiveness and facilitate our go-to-market and scale-up capacity. Over the coming months, Zwipe will complete verification and qualification. Commercial samples are planned for release mid-2020, at that stage mass production can start.”
The Zwipe Z5 chip will be sold as a single component and as part of Zwipe’s embedded system, the biometric inlay. Target customers are smart card and wearables manufacturers as well as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the emerging biometric payment market and in other verticals.
The development of this component is partially funded through a EUR 2.3 million (NOK 23 million) grant from the European Commission as part of Horizon 2020.
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OSLO, NORWAY– 27 SEPTEMBER 2019 – Biometric technology company Zwipe has today delivered the first order of its second-generation biometric inlay to one of its card manufacturing customers. The order was for a few thousand units and generates revenue of approximately half a million NOK in the third quarter 2019.
“Zwipe’s biometric payment platform is the most widely live-tested solution in the marketplace and it has been progressively updated in terms of performance and cost. We are now starting to provide our second-generation biometric platform and inlay technology to our customers. We are supporting our customers toward achieving a mass-marketable roll-out of their biometric payment cards” says André Løvestam, CEO at Zwipe.
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Courbevoie, FRANCE and Oslo, NORWAY – 19 September 2019 – IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity and one of the world’s largest biometric payment card manufacturers, and Zwipe, a leading biometric technology company, have signed an exclusive partnership and distribution agreement that sees the two companies co-investing in the development of a disruptive biometric payment card platform. The companies’ shared vision is to enable mass volume market take-off and long-term growth for biometric payment cards, by bringing to market a technology platform that will significantly reduce the complexity and cost of the design and production process for biometric payment cards, enabling an accelerated path to mass volumes which will ultimately benefit the issuers and users of cards.
This result is achieved by drastically reducing the number of components, integrating in a single chip the functions that previously required a Secure Element, a Microcontroller, and more than thirty external components, all mounted on a flexible PCB (Printed Circuit Board). Cards incorporating this new technology will be in the market in H2 2020, with high volume deployment starting in 2021.
Speaking on the agreement, Amanda Gourbault, Executive Vice-President for Financial institutions activities at IDEMIA, declared: “this is a strategic, high profile project for IDEMIA. We are very excited about what this platform will enable in terms of market growth and the penetration of biometric payment cards. IDEMIA is delighted to partner with Zwipe, a company with a solid intellectual property portfolio and an expanding global customer network; we are confident that our new solution will command a leading position in the marketplace.”
Zwipe will have worldwide exclusive rights to provide this solution to manufacturers of payment cards, wearables and other payment solutions, and their suppliers, when the product becomes available. IDEMIA has ownership of this technology and will sell F.CODE to its Financial Institutions customers. Once again, by bringing the best of its technology and vision, IDEMIA is driving the growth of the biometric cards market.
Commenting on this major development, André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe said “we are excited and proud to enter a significant partnership with IDEMIA, a prominent global industry leader. The platform represents a technological leap that will serve as a catalyst to enable full biometric payment card costs to come down significantly, driving mass volume market growth and complementing our current and future product portfolios. We look forward to bringing this platform to our customers to continue to shape the biometric payments industry.”
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OSLO, NORWAY– 17 SEPTEMBER 2019 – Biometric technology company Zwipe has been selected by Giesecke + Devrient (G+D) Mobile Security, one of the world’s largest mobile and digital security providers to develop a biometric payment device with a view to pilot this technology with leading banks.
Speaking on the partnership with Zwipe, Gabrielle Bugat, Group Senior Vice President and Head of Business Unit Financial Services at G+D Mobile Security, said “We have selected Zwipe because of their proven ability to integrate biometrics with payment functionalities into an extremely space and energy-constrained environment,” adding “we are confident that this joint effort will help establish new opportunities in the emerging biometric payments marketplace.”
Zwipe will provide the technical design and core components for integration into a wearable device with the digital security provider integrating the payment platform and personalising the product for use as a payment solution.
Commenting on this commercial effort, André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe said “Our new customer, G+D is one of the world’s largest players in security solutions and we are excited to launch this collaboration.”
The joint development is commencing now, and the two parties plan to announce the start of any pilot when the product is ready for trials.
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BANGKOK, THAILAND – 11 SEPTEMBER 2019 – Biometric technology company Zwipe and dz card a global card solution provider and one of the largest card manufacturers in Southeast Asia, have signed a partnership to launch biometric payment solutions addressing the emerging needs of customers in Thailand and across Southeast Asia, as well as India and Africa.
Speaking on the engagement, Mr. Renaud ADAM – CEO of dz card said, “we have received requests from several large issuers seeking biometric payment cards and we are excited to partner with Zwipe, who is uniquely positioned to support our customers in introducing, optimizing and scaling up the issuance of this innovative product which makes contactless payment so much more secure.”
dz card will look to integrate Zwipe’s technology platform in bringing their biometric payment cards and other associated solutions to market, featuring Zwipe’s proprietary biometric payment platform and secure at-home enrolment offering.
Commenting on this latest customer acquisition André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe said, “we are honored that dz card decided to join our growing customer base and we are confident that our unique and dedicated approach to support them in launching biometric payment cards will be a win for their customers, some of the largest financial institutions in Southeast Asia.”
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OSLO, NORWAY – 3 September 2019- Biometric technology company Zwipe will explore a potential listing on Nasdaq Stockholm's First North Growth Market. The timing of such a listing remains to be evaluated.
Commenting on this development, CEO of Zwipe André Løvestam said “the past several months has seen major stakeholders in the emerging biometric payment market invest in preparations for commercialization of biometric payment cards and accompanying offerings. This vote of confidence and positive outlook has enabled several new strategic opportunities for Zwipe that are currently being pursued. On this basis, the Board of Directors has concluded an intent to list on Nasdaq Stockholm's First North Growth Market”, adding “listing on Nasdaq First North Growth Market will take the company closer to the majority of its investors and open up a larger and more dynamic trading market for its shares.”
Please see Zwipe’s Interim Report January to June 2019 on the company’s website, www.zwipe.com for more information about the company’s status and outlook.
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Oslo, Norway - 3 September 2019
Biometric technology company Zwipe today announces its Interim Report January to June 2019:
First Half Year
Significant events during the period
Significant events after the period
CEO comment
André Løvestam, Chief Executive Officer at Zwipe, said “Zwipe had significant progress during the first half of 2019. During the period we added five new card manufacturing customers across the world, significantly broadening our customer base. At the same time, multiple pilots with existing customers, banks and payment networks, have provided strong results and given us unique insights as we progress towards commercial adoption of our offerings.
Over the course of this summer, accredited third-party labs used for validation by the major payment networks have confirmed that Zwipe’s platform is comfortably surpassing the biometric performance, security and interoperability requirements for certification to be awarded to card manufacturers.
During the first half of 2019 multiple card manufacturers have started the capital-intensive process of launching biometric payment card specific manufacturing lines, semiconductor providers have begun the development of dedicated offerings for this emerging market, and the entire value chain supporting these processes has started moving more aggressively.
This vote of confidence of the future prospects in biometric payment cards and wearables has opened up several new strategic opportunities for Zwipe; opportunities that we are now pursuing at full speed.
Based on this confirmation of Zwipe’s value proposition and long-term prospects, the Board of Directors has concluded an intent to list on Nasdaq Stockholm's First North Growth Market, thereby further accelerating and supporting the company's development.
I am confident that Zwipe is well positioned to unlock the exciting opportunities coming our way and I am looking forward to the next phase of our journey.”
Please find the full report attached or on the company’s website www.zwipe.com.
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