OSLO, NORWAY and TAOYUAN, TAIWAN – 11th May 2021 – Biometric fintech pioneer Zwipe and Beautiful Card Corporation (BCC) are pleased to announce their partnership to bring Zwipe Pay ONE to markets in Asia. With around 520 million cards produced annually, of which around 20 million are EMV payment cards, BCC is listed as the largest scratch card manufacturer in Taiwan, the 2nd largest in Asia and 7th in the world.
As part of the collaboration, BCC has already commenced manufacturing of biometric payment cards based on the Zwipe Pay ONE platform, embracing the next generation of biometric payment cards and aiming to address the increasing market demand for safer and more secure contactless payments.
Since agreeing on the partnership in December 2020, the two companies have been working closely to complete the fine-tuning of the technical aspects of the solution and begin to gear up to meet the increasing demand for biometric payments. Comprehensive and rigorous tests have proven the ability to scale up production with the aim of delivering pilots and commercial deployments before the end of 2021.
“We are 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 seamlessly together and have been able to adapt our manufacturing processes to integrate Zwipe’s biometric solution in our card production and are very pleased with the results. We are excited to now take this partnership to the next level,” says Mrs. Peggy Wu, CEO and Chairman of BCC.
“The Asia Pacific Region, led by countries like Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and India, continues to innovate and lead the world in many areas of payment card technology. We are very pleased that BCC is embracing the Zwipe platform and bringing our collaboration forward, to jointly address the needs of banks and consumers in Asia and global markets,” says André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards components and wearables technology that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For more information contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
About Beautiful Card Corporation
Beautiful Card Corporation (BCC) was founded in October 1991. BCC has state-of-the-art equipment and professional specialists to fulfil their consistent management policy of providing high-quality products with competitive price. Since BCC’s founding, they have been developing new technology in card industry as well as continuously putting efforts to the innovation and improvement of all sorts of cards. Thanks to their continuous efforts, BCC’s capacity was recognized and approved by customers all over the world. BCC’s annual capacity now reaches 200 million Scratch cards, 300 million GSM SIM cards, 20 million EMV cards. BCC has obtained ISO 9001 / IS27001/ ISO14001/ ISO 45001/ ISO14298/MasterCard CQM / Visa / MasterCard / JCB / GSM SAS certifications.
Media Contact for Beautiful Card Corporation: shellen@beautifulcard.com
To learn more, please visit: http://www.card.com.tw/en/about.php
OSLO, NORWAY and CHENNAI, INDIA – 10 May 2021 – FSS (Financial Software and Systems), a leading global provider of integrated payment products and a payment processor, is partnering with Zwipe to bring next generation contactless payment cards to issuers globally. Zwipe is a payment FinTech recognized for having pioneered the development of biometric payments and has delivered many successful pilots around the world.
FSS is among the leading providers of card issuance products globally and its card portfolio consists of 800 plus million payment cards for Tier One banks and payment processors. The organizations will collaborate closely, offering greater value to customers by combining FSS’s Unified Issuance Platform and Zwipe Pay One biometric card capabilities, supported by Zwipe’s fast-growing global network of card manufacturing partners.
The widespread adoption of contactless payment cards has been a huge success in recent years[1]. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of contactless payments even further as consumers demand a safe, contact-free transacting environment. However, the lack of cardholder authentication with contactless cards translates into usage being restricted to relatively small and medium value payments, hampering the ability to deliver a fully contact-free experience for all payment values. The response to this is the biometric payment card that fully enables contact-free transactions while boosting confidence and security for consumers, retailers and issuers.
Commenting on the partnership K Srinivasan, Chief Operating Officer, FSS PayTech, said “Biometric payment cards will bring strong differentiation and value uplift to our card issuance and management offerings. Our partnership with Zwipe will help our issuer clients to deliver a completely touchless and PIN-free check out experience, better in-store payments hygiene and much stronger cardholder security. Needless to say, now more than ever, innovation can play a critical role within the context of the global pandemic which makes it even more important to bring solutions such as this quickly to our customers. Zwipe Pay ONE is recognized as the most advanced (Gen3) biometric payment technology and complements FSS’ innovative card portfolio. It will be made available to our clients for piloting and deployment from H2 2021”.
As part of this collaboration, FSS will offer Zwipe Pay ONE biometric payment cards globally. The initial focus will be in those markets where contactless is bringing considerable benefits in the area of financial inclusion as seen in Canada, India and a number of countries within Europe, Middle East (GCC countries) and Africa. Both partners will start engaging with issuers from Q2 2021 and aim for starting pilots from 2H 2021.
“We are humbled and proud to partner with FSS, one of the most respected and global providers of payment services. This is a landmark agreement for Zwipe and will significantly accelerate our growth globally, most notably in Asia, the world’s largest payment market,” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obliged to make public pursuant to the Continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Market Oslo, Nasdaq First North Growth Market and the EU Market Abuse Regulation. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0) 8528 00 399. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 10:05 CEST on 10 May 2021.
About FSS
Financial Software and Systems (FSS) is a leader in payments technology and transaction processing. The company offers an integrated portfolio of software products, hosted payment services and software solutions built over 30+ years of experience. FSS, end-to-end payments products suite, powers retail delivery channels including ATM, POS, Internet and Mobile as well as critical back-end functions including cards management, reconciliation, settlement, merchant management and device monitoring. Headquartered in Chennai, India, FSS services leading global banks, financial institutions, processors, central regulators and governments across North America, UK, Europe, ME, Africa, and APAC and has 2,500 experts on-board. For more information visit www.fsstech.com
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards components and wearables technology that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and
consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY - 28 April 2021 - The board of directors of Zwipe AS (“the Company”) call for the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) to be held on 19 May 2021 at 14:00 CEST. Due to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, the general meeting will be held as a digital meeting on Microsoft Teams.
Please find enclosed the notice of the Annual General Meeting. The notice and Zwipe’s Annual Report for 2020 are available on the Company’s website, https://zwipe.com/investors
Notice of attendance, in person or by proxy, shall be given no later than 18 May 2021 at 16:00 CEST. Shareholders are encouraged to register via the link found here.
Alternatively, the attached form may be sent by e-mail to genf@dnb.no, or regular post to DNB Bank ASA, Verdipapirservice, NO-0021 Oslo.
In order to be invited to the meeting, Zwipe’s administration will need to have the shareholder’s email address in advance. Shareholders must after having registered their attendance also register their email address by sending an email to ir@zwipe.com.
The board of directors (the "Board") has proposed the following agenda:
Opening of the General Meeting by the chair. Registration of meeting shareholders
Election of a meeting chairperson and person to co-sign the minutes together with the chairperson
Approval of the notice and the agenda
Report by the management on the Company
Approval of the annual report and financial statements for 2020 for the Company and the group
Remuneration to the auditor
Election of members to the Board
Remuneration to the Board and the members of the Nomination Committee
Proposal to grant the board a new authorization to increase the share capital
Proposed decisions from the Board
Matter no. 5: Approval of the annual report and financial statements for 2020 for the Company and the group
The boards proposal for annual report and financial statements for 2020 for the Company and the group were unanimously approved.
Matter no. 6: Remuneration to the auditor
The Board proposes that the auditor's fees are paid as per accounts rendered.
Matter no. 7: Election of members to the Board
Subject to the general meeting's approval, the Company's Board of Directors will comprise:
Jörgen Lantto, Chairman of the board
Johan Biehl
Dennis Jones
Diderik Schonheyder
Stina Granberg
Tanya Juul Kjaer
Matter no. 8: Remuneration to the members of the Board and the members of the Nomination Committee
The Nomination Committee makes the following recommendation:
Fees to the Board for the period from the AGM in 2020 until the AGM in 2021 were resolved by the AGM on 14 May 2020.
Fees to the Board for the period from the AGM in 2021 until the AGM in 2022 is suggested as follows:
Chairman of the Board: NOK 260.000,-
Members of the Board: NOK 130.000,-
As to remuneration, the nomination committee proposes that no remuneration is paid to the members of the nomination committee.
Matter no. 9: Proposal on authorizations to the Board on capital increase
The Board proposes 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.
The Board proposes that the General Meeting adopts the following resolution:
1. Authorization for capital increase to fulfill the Company's incentive program
The board of directors is hereby granted authorization to increase the share capital of Zwipe AS, on one or several occasions, with up to NOK 230,498.90 (2,304,989), equivalent to 7 % of the registered share capital at the time of this resolution.
2. Authorization for capital increase to strengthen the Company's equity
The Board proposes that the General Meeting grants a new authorization to the Board to issue shares corresponding to up to 15% of the share capital, and the new authorization shall be restricted to issue of shares to strengthen the Company's equity to the extent the Board considers this to be in the Company's best interest at the given time.
The board of directors is hereby granted authorization to increase the share capital of Zwipe AS with up to NOK 493,926.10 (4,939,261 new shares) on one or several occasions.
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.
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Market Oslo and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0) 8528 00 399. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 17:35 CEST on 28 April 2021.
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards components and wearables technology that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For more information, please contact:
Lars Kristian Solheim, CFO
+47 991 661 35
lars.kristian@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY - 28 April 2021 - In connection with our first quarter 2021 update, Zwipe is today for the first time publicly demonstrating the world’s first Single Silicon Biometric System on Card that is being offered to card manufacturers globally – namely Zwipe Pay ONE.
A first quarter operational update webcast will be given at 12:00 CEST today. You can register for the presentation by sending an email to events@arctic.com.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards components and wearables technology that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For further information, please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135, ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 28 APRIL 2021 –
Q1 2021 Highlights
During the first quarter 2021, Zwipe continued to strengthen its foundation for mass-volume roll out of biometric payment cards.
Swedish fintech Vopy, a provider of embedded financial services for telecom and financial institutions globally, selected the Zwipe Pay ONE platform for its biometric payment cards.
Zwipe announced the finalization of four new partnerships with prominent card manufacturers in Asia-Pacific and Europe. The combined annual card shipment from these new customers is more than 1 billion, of which payment cards constitute more than 150 million.
Tag Systems, a leading provider of payment cards (and part of AUSTRIACARD Group), decided to strengthen its collaboration with Zwipe to bring the most advanced new biometric payment cards to issuers in Europe and North America. The group delivers 100 million payment cards each year across Europe, the Middle East and the US. Tag Systems also placed a small initial order for Zwipe Pay ONE.
Developments after the period
KL HI-TECH, the 2nd largest payment card manufacturer in India selected the Zwipe Pay ONE platform to deliver biometric payment cards to its clients in India and key international markets. KL HI-TECH serves some of India's largest banks and delivers approximately 30 million payment cards per year.
French payment solutions provider be ys Pay selected Zwipe to offer biometric payment cards to the French, Belgian, Luxembourg and Dutch markets. be ys Pay is an integral part of the international be ys ecosystem, present on three continents with more than 3 000 employees.
To strengthen its strategic engagements in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and India, Zwipe has appointed Ramzi Saboury as General Manager for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region and Masterline as Strategic Business Partner in India and other selected markets in the MEA region.
CEO Comment
During the first quarter of 2021, Zwipe has seen significant progress on all fronts – operationally, technologically and organizationally.
We continued to grow our ecosystem of smart card manufacturers and go-to-market partners, while cementing our collaboration with key technology partners in the payments value chain. We have taken major steps towards technology readiness with our Zwipe Pay ONE platform, passing critical milestones and risk points and successfully performing fully functional internal test transactions with Zwipe Pay ONE demo cards. Consequently, we are on track to support our partners launch pilots after the summer. We have also onboarded key expert resources onto our team, strengthening the Zwipe organization even further.
The first quarter was characterized by a continued high level of activity and we finalized many key agreements. Swedish fintech Vopy, chose Zwipe Pay ONE for issuing biometric payment cards to their global telecom and financial institutions client network. The four agreements with prominent card manufacturers in Asia-Pacific and Europe, with a combined yearly shipment of more than 150 million payment cards announced during the quarter, was another recognition of the attractiveness of our offering. Subject to positive pilot results, mass-market rollout will follow. The renewal and strengthening of our commercial partnership with TAG Systems, including TAG Nitecrest in the UK, further reinforced our foundation for market success, especially in Europe and North America.
We ended a solid quarter and kick-started the next announcing agreements with KL HI-TECH, India's second-largest card manufacturer (delivering 30 million payment cards annually), and French payment provider be ys Pay, which will bring biometric payment cards based on our platform to banks in France and the Benelux region. KL HI-TECH is now ramping up its industrialization efforts to deliver Zwipe Pay ONE biometric payment cards to leading issuers in India and selected markets in the Middle East and Africa.
In response to strong interest in Zwipe Pay ONE Cards from card manufacturers, card bureaus, issuers and consumers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and in India, we have established a local presence by appointing a highly experienced General Manager for the MENA region and entering a collaboration with Masterline, a well-connected player in the field of fintech and payment solutions, as a Strategic Business Partner in India and beyond. We have also further strengthened our organization with several top payment industry talents both in the commercial and the R&D team. I am particularly delighted to welcome our new Chief Sales Officer, John Goodale, to my management team. John, who has a long and proven track record from one of the world’s largest processors, TSYS, and also from professional services at KPMG and DMR Consulting, is leading Zwipe’s engagement and conversion efforts with smart card manufacturers. He is also supporting our engagements with issuers and selected go-to-market partners to further strengthen Zwipe’s position in the global biometric payments market.
The growing interest in biometric payment cards has been noted in several independent analyst reports in recent months (notably from UBS, ABI Research, Goode Intelligence). The common theme in all these reports is their increased volume projections for biometric payment cards over the next 3 to 5 years, suggesting a share of 15-20 % of issued payment cards in 2026.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic a number of countries raised the contactless transaction limits in response to safety concerns from consumers when having to touch the payment terminals (most recently the UK treasury increased the contactless limit from 45 to 100 pounds).
While increasing the contactless limit is a very pragmatic solution in the pandemic times, this solution is unfortunately not very sustainable due to the underlying concerns on the lack of security in contactless payments. These concerns were also obvious from consumers’ comments in discussion forums when the UK treasure decided to more than double the contactless limits. For us, this is further proof that the natural and sustainable step from contact-less payments is contact-free payments, facilitated by biometric payment cards.
As we near completion of the development of Zwipe Pay ONE, which has been a journey we embarked on together with IDEMIA and other key partners almost two years ago, I am very excited to enter into the next phase of increased commercial efforts and subsequent roll-out to consumers.
Zwipe has a historically strong pipeline, a highly competent, passionate and agile organization managing a disruptive technology that is in demand in the market, and a robust ecosystem of partners taking an increasingly proactive role in promoting Zwipe. This is all laying a strong foundation for long-term value creation. The journey has just begun.
Financial Update
Sales revenues in Q1 2021 were MNOK 0.3 (MNOK 0.4).
Average monthly operational cash flow was MNOK -6.3 in Q1 2021 versus MNOK -5.8 in Q1 2020. The increase is in line with higher activity in the company. During the last quarter of 2020 and first quarter of 2021, Zwipe has increased its staff in response to the increased demand for piloting and deployment of our payment solutions and services.
Zwipe was granted a second bank loan of MNOK 2.1 in February 2021 through the second draw of the US Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The loan is payable in five years. Zwipe may be eligible for partial or full loan forgiveness given fulfilment of a set of requirements.
The closing cash balance at the end of Q1 2021 was MNOK 108.9 (MNOK 54.6). The development in cash balance since Q4 2020 is primarily a result of operational cash flow of MNOK -18.8 and the second PPP bank loan of MNOK 2.1.
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Market Oslo, on Nasdaq First North Growth Market and the EU Market Abuse Regulation. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0) 8528 00 399. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 08:00 CET on 28 April 2021.
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards components and wearables technology that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For more information, please contact:
Lars Kristian Solheim, CFO
+47 991 661 35
lars.kristian@zwipe.com
Oslo, Norway – 12 April 2021 – On the back of strong interest from card manufacturers, card bureaus and issuers in the MENA Region and in India, biometric technology company Zwipe has established presence in these two key regions by appointing a General Manager for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region and entering a collaboration with a Strategic Business Partner in India.
Ramzi Saboury, Zwipe’s newly appointed General Manager in MENA
Mr. Saboury has a distinguished career spanning over 26 years within Payment Services at leading banks in Kuwait, as regional GM for Levant at Visa Inc. and as CCO at areeba. During these years, he has successfully established many financial services, most notably within contactless payments and mobile technologies. In 2018, Mr. Saboury was awarded by the Asian Bankers Organization “The 50 Most Promising Young Leaders in the Banking and Financial Services industry for APAC and the Middle East Regions”.
“Zwipe's decision to strengthen its position in MENA fits perfectly with the transformations that are taking place in the global payments market. I am delighted to have joined Zwipe's team and I am already busy driving biometric payment cards and Zwipe Pay ONE in a region that is very keen for such advanced solutions,” says Ramzi Saboury.
Masterline, newly appointed Strategic Business Partner in India
Zwipe has also entered a collaboration with Masterline as Strategic Business Partner to accelerate deployment of the Zwipe Pay ONE platform in India and key markets in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Masterline possesses a proficiency from over 20 years of driving sales and deployment of smart card products, SIM cards and recharge scratch cards. It is a seasoned and well-connected player in the field of fintech and payment solutions in the region and beyond.
"The Masterline team and I are delighted to proactively assist the on-the-ground customer and go-to-market partner on-boarding on behalf of Zwipe in these regions. We are promoting the disruptive Zwipe Pay ONE platform both to smart card manufacturers and banks. There is significant market interest and we see great potential for biometric payment cards in India and elsewhere,” says Naresh Nanda, Founder and Managing Director of Masterline Group.
Commenting on these developments, André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe, says "Our end-to-end, one-stop-shop offering to enable launch of biometric payment cards is welcomed by players across the payments value chain, both in the MENA region and in India. Ramzi’s expertise in driving payment innovations to successful businesses in the MENA region and Masterline’s formidable track record in scaling smart card products in India and certain MEA markets will be key in accelerating the mass market deployment of Zwipe Pay ONE-powered payment cards”.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards components and wearables technology that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com.
For further information, please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
About Masterline
Masterline has effectively, since 1994, delivered telecom and fintech solution whilst expanding its sales footprints in 30+ countries. A veteran in sales and supply of recharge cards and smart cards industry, along with strategic telecom devices & fintech solutions, Masterline has provisioned companies in serving over 27 million mobile users across the world. With 27+ years of experience, Masterline group, works with cutting-edge technologies, exceptional strategic planning, keeping prime thrust on global aspirations while guaranteeing complete client satisfaction. For more information, visit www.masterline.in
Contact: Naresh Nanda, Founder | Managing Director; info@masterline.in
Oslo, Norway and Paris, France - April 7, 2021 - French payment solutions provider be ys Pay (pronounced “be-wise” pay), a fintech dedicated to payment technologies is partnering with Zwipe, a Norwegian fintech dedicated to biometric payment solutions, to offer biometric payment cards to the French, Belgian, Luxembourg and Dutch markets.
Biometric payment cards allow consumers to conduct contactless transactions securely through authentication with their fingerprints. The innovation offered by Zwipe is based on highly secure authentication technology.
The purpose of the partnership is to offer Zwipe Pay ONE-enabled biometric payment cards to be ys Pay customers. The partners will together engage with the issuers from Q2 2021 and have the ambition to deliver pilots from H2 2021.
Mirko Koscina, president of be ys Pay, says: "Biometric payment cards represent the future, particularly in this period of health crisis since the payment transactions will be completely contact free. These cards will provide added security and convenience to consumers. As for the financial institutions, those who make use of this solution will stand to gain significantly in the long term”.
be ys Pay is an integral part of the international be ys ecosystem, present on three continents with more than three thousand employees. Expert in the mass processing, storage and securing of sensitive data, be ys operates trusted digital ecosystems for any economic activity requiring mastery of digital identity, processing of personal and confidential data flows, at the service and in support of natural and legal persons, for the French health sector for twenty years, and more recently for legal professionals, social landlords, banks, and large international companies. be ys has its own data center, "La Citadelle", located in Clermont-Ferrand, at the highest level of security in Europe, and is recognized as a Qualified Trust Services Provider. be ys is also an associate member of the Open Lab of CERN in Geneva.
"We are delighted that be ys Pay is introducing Zwipe Pay ONE biometric payment cards in strategic markets, such as France and the Benelux. Thanks to be ys Pay's network of banking customers, this collaboration will further strengthen our ability to offer a contactless payment experience for cardholders and issuers in Europe,” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards components and wearables technology that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
About be ys Pay
We are a fintech company dedicated to payment technologies. Our philosophy involves the use of innovation and technology to overcome limitations. In be ys Pay we offer solutions throughout the entire life cycle of payment methods and integrate payment solutions into global and local schemes. We are experts in cryptography and deep knowledge of security. Subsequently, we can apply the technology to solutions that improve the efficiency and relationships between companies and their customers.
Our solutions:
- Card issuance: we have the technological capacity and flexibility to personalize cards that do what you want
- Onboarding of customers in presence and digital
- E-wallet - tokenization
- 3D secure
- Payment terminal for shops
To learn more about our company and solutions please visit our website https://www.be-ys-pay.com/
For further information please contact: Laura Bernal marketing Manager +330645246241
The correction is with reference to the total number of cards delivered per year by KL HI-TECH.
OSLO, NORWAY and HYDERABAD, INDIA – 6 April 2021 – KL HI-TECH, one of India’s largest payment card manufacturers, has selected the Zwipe Pay ONE platform to deliver biometric payment cards to its clients in India and key international markets. Zwipe is a FinTech that has pioneered the development of biometric payment cards and delivered many successful pilots globally.
Founded in 1988, KL HI-TECH currently delivers a total of 50 million cards per year, of which approximately 30 million are payment cards, serving some of the largest banks in India and abroad. As per the recent Nilson Report (2020) KL HI-TECH is the 2nd largest payment card manufacturer in India and the 31st largest in the world.
KL-HI TECH engaged with Zwipe in early 2021 and after extensive evaluation of available alternatives selected Zwipe Pay ONE as the preferred biometric card platform for its next generation payment cards.
"KL HI-TECH has over three decades of experience in helping drive our clients’ growth through differentiation and innovation in payments. We are constantly seeking new technologies & innovations to enhance the payment experience to people in India and across the globe.
With the impact of the pandemic still being felt across India, consumers’ focus on safety and hygiene has increased significantly. In collaboration with Zwipe, we will deliver physical cards that will enable payments to be completely touch-less through a PIN-free checkout experience for consumers with much higher security. Our assessment shows that Zwipe Pay ONE represents the most advanced and high-performing solution and will be the first mass-market viable platform”, said P. Srinivas Rao, Chairman & CEO of KL HI-TECH.
As part of this agreement, Zwipe will provide biometric technology and technical services to enable KL HI-TECH to manufacture Zwipe Pay ONE test cards from Q2 2021. The partners are already jointly engaging with issuers in India with the aim of launching pilots from Q3 2021 and supporting the first full market launches towards the end of this year. "We are extremely pleased that KL HI-TECH has selected Zwipe Pay ONE as their biometric payment card platform. India is one of the world’s most attractive payment markets in size, growth rates and business potential. Complementing each other, Zwipe and KL HI-TECH will leverage each other’s unique technology, product and market assets, including KL HI-TECH’s extensive relationships with the leading banks in India, the Middle East and Africa, to offer innovative biometric payment solutions,” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
About KL HI-Tech
KL HI-TECH Secure Print Limited (KLHT) is a leading provider of secure print products and printing solutions. Commencing its operations in 1988, KLHT has played a pioneering role in enabling secure payment transactions, banking services and facilitating tele communications in India through its secure print products.
At its sprawling state-of-the-art highly secure manufacturing facility located in Hyderabad, the company operates using stringent global standards that are required to manufacture a range of security printing products.
The company is certified by Visa, Mastercard & RuPay (National Payments Corporation of India). As per the Nilson Report (2020) KL HI-TECH is the 2nd largest banking card manufacturer in India and 31st largest banking card manufacturer in the world.
KLHT’s business ideology revolves around the prime objective of providing comprehensive, fool-proof security in critical secure print products. KLHT plays a pivotal role by manufacturing products for the following sectors:
Banks and Financial Institutions
Central and State Governments
Educational Boards and Institutions
Telecom Sector
Nationwide Election Commissions
Transport Sector
Exporting to over 52 countries across the Globe, KLHT aims to become one of the leading suppliers of secure print products globally, whilst also pioneering innovation and change to the way payments are made in India and across the globe.For further information please contact Kartik Shekar, VP – Projects, kartik@klhitech.com, +91 8008 188 466
OSLO, NORWAY and HYDERABAD, INDIA – 6 April 2021 – KL HI-TECH, one of India’s largest payment card manufacturers, has selected the Zwipe Pay ONE platform to deliver biometric payment cards to its clients in India and key international markets. Zwipe is a FinTech that has pioneered the development of biometric payment cards and delivered many successful pilots globally.
Founded in 1988, KL HI-TECH currently delivers a total of 128 million cards per year, of which approximately 30 million are payment cards, serving some of the largest banks in India and abroad. As per the recent Nilson Report (2020) KL HI-TECH is the 2nd largest payment card manufacturer in India and the 31st largest in the world.
KL-HI TECH engaged with Zwipe in early 2021 and after extensive evaluation of available alternatives selected Zwipe Pay ONE as the preferred biometric card platform for its next generation payment cards.
"KL HI-TECH has over three decades of experience in helping drive our clients’ growth through differentiation and innovation in payments. We are constantly seeking new technologies & innovations to enhance the payment experience to people in India and across the globe.
With the impact of the pandemic still being felt across India, consumers’ focus on safety and hygiene has increased significantly. In collaboration with Zwipe, we will deliver physical cards that will enable payments to be completely touch-less through a PIN-free checkout experience for consumers with much higher security. Our assessment shows that Zwipe Pay ONE represents the most advanced and high-performing solution and will be the first mass-market viable platform”, said P. Srinivas Rao, Chairman & CEO of KL HI-TECH.
As part of this agreement, Zwipe will provide biometric technology and technical services to enable KL HI-TECH to manufacture Zwipe Pay ONE test cards from Q2 2021. The partners are already jointly engaging with issuers in India with the aim of launching pilots from Q3 2021 and supporting the first full market launches towards the end of this year.
"We are extremely pleased that KL HI-TECH has selected Zwipe Pay ONE as their biometric payment card platform. India is one of the world’s most attractive payment markets in size, growth rates and business potential. Complementing each other, Zwipe and KL HI-TECH will leverage each other’s unique technology, product and market assets, including KL HI-TECH’s extensive relationships with the leading banks in India, the Middle East and Africa, to offer innovative biometric payment solutions,” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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About KL HI-Tech
KL HI-TECH Secure Print Limited (KLHT) is a leading provider of secure print products and printing solutions. Commencing its operations in 1988, KLHT has played a pioneering role in enabling secure payment transactions, banking services and facilitating tele communications in India through its secure print products.
At its sprawling state-of-the-art highly secure manufacturing facility located in Hyderabad, the company operates using stringent global standards that are required to manufacture a range of security printing products.
The company is certified by Visa, Mastercard & RuPay (National Payments Corporation of India). As per the Nilson Report (2020) KL HI-TECH is the 2nd largest banking card manufacturer in India and 31st largest banking card manufacturer in the world.
KLHT’s business ideology revolves around the prime objective of providing comprehensive, fool-proof security in critical secure print products. KLHT plays a pivotal role by manufacturing products for the following sectors:
Exporting to over 52 countries across the Globe, KLHT aims to become one of the leading suppliers of secure print products globally, whilst also pioneering innovation and change to the way payments are made in India and across the globe.
For further information please contact Kartik Shekar, VP – Projects, kartik@klhitech.com, +91 8008 188 466
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards components and wearables technology that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 info@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 24 August 2023 – Zwipe AS ("Zwipe" or "the company") today announces its results for the first half of 2023.
Significant events H1 2023
H1 2023 operational review
In May, Kuwait International Bank (KIB) announced the first commercial launch of biometric payment cards based on Zwipe Pay technology to their VISA Infinite customers in Kuwait. On the back of this launch, KIB is now considering making the biometric card more widely available to cardholders across their customer base. The announcement generated extensive interest in the region from our partners to either initiate or accelerate the launch of biometric payment card programs for other issuers. Later in May, MEPS, in partnership with Mastercard, announced the second commercial launch of BPCs from Zwipe. The MEPS announcement is significant as it will enable a wide range of regional banks to launch BPCs more rapidly.
During the first half, Zwipe also signed eight new partnerships with SCMs and perso bureaus in the APAC region. Early in the third quarter, Zwipe also signed a partnership agreement with a major Japanese SCM, a first for Zwipe in this very important market in terms of both payment transaction volume and value, and a second agreement with a partner in Taiwan. These new agreements and partnerships represent expanded geographic scope for Zwipe, and Zwipe is working closely with our partners to bring biometric payment cards to issuers in these large and dynamic new markets.
Zwipe also released the market’s first available mobile enrolment solution, including a Software Development Kit (“SDK”) with reference apps for iOS and Android available in the respective Apple and Google official app stores. Mobile enrolment solutions are deemed very important by issuers considering launches of BPCs. Zwipe also refreshed our payment scheme certifications and released Zwipe Pay version 1.1, based on the updated standards from Mastercard and Visa.
On the Zwipe Access side, Zwipe initiated several proofs of concept in our target verticals in the USA and Europe. Of particular importance was the announcement that our partner Civix is performing a PoC at Richmond International Airport in conjunction with Safe Skies Alliance. In total, more than ten PoCs are underway and progressing and approximately ten more PoCs are also already in the pipeline for the second half of this year. During the first half, we also signed multiple important go-to-market partners including industry leaders Cardlogix and OLOID and roughly doubled our number of GTM partners. In total, twelve partners have signed or are in the process of signing distribution agreements. The initiation of PoCs and signing of important GTM partners makes us confident we will see commercial deployments of the Zwipe Access solution in H2 2023.
Fundraising and restructuring
In March 2023, Zwipe successfully completed a rights issue raising approximately 100.1 mNOK in capital. While the fundraising should enable Zwipe’s transition toward commercialization, we are cognizant that market adoption of biometric cards through 2023 has been slower than anticipated, impacting not only Zwipe but also Zwipe's partners and competitors. As a consequence, we announced a restructuring of the company in June – bringing down costs substantially to reflect the current realities, but not affecting our ability to serve our customers and partners. These initiatives are expected to reduce the group’s operating costs in 2023 by approximately NOK 14 million compared to 2022 and lower the cost base by approximately NOK 35 million on an annual basis. Once executed, the improvements are expected to have full impact from the fourth quarter of 2023.
The main message from the restructuring announcement is that the development of both the Zwipe Pay and Zwipe Access products has largely been completed. In the context of R&D having been largely completed, the focus of the fundraising and the restructuring has been to accelerate Zwipe’s path towards commercialization.
H2 2022 financial review
Zwipe reported total revenues of 1.7 mNOK during H1 2023, up 113% from 0.8 mNOK in H1 2022, while total operating expenses increased by 9.0 mNOK to 57.5 mNOK in H1 2023 from 48.4 mNOK in H1 2022. The above resulted in net income for H1 2023 of -55.9 mNOK, 8.5 mNOK lower than -47.4 mNOK in H1 2022.
Total net cash flow for H1 2023, including cash flow from financing and investing activities, was 25.5 mNOK compared to -42.6 mNOK in H1 2022, as Zwipe successfully completed a rights issue raising 100.1 mNOK in gross proceeds in H1 2023. Cash flow from operations and investments, before financing and facilitation, decreased by -10.8 mNOK to -59.3 mNOK from -48.6 mNOK in H1 2022. The underlying average monthly operating cash flow in the H1 2023 was -9.9 mNOK compared to -8.1 mNOK in the same period last year. The monthly net burn rate is expected to decrease by roughly 30% in the second half of 2023 compared to the first half as a result of the June restructuring announcement.
On 30 June 2023, cash and cash equivalents were 76.0 mNOK, compared to 50.5 mNOK at end 2022 and 109.7 mNOK on 30 June 2022. The development in cash balance since year-end 2022 is mainly a result of the negative operational cash flow of 59.3 mNOK plus proceeds from the rights issue in H1 2023. Total assets stood at 98.4 mNOK and total equity as of 30 June 2023 was 85.4 mNOK, giving an equity ratio of 87%.
Going forward
Zwipe continues to make progress with its first Zwipe Pay commercial launches and multiple Zwipe Access PoCs being executed. But in the context of delayed volume ramp-up in biometric payment cards, the biometric access control market still being established, and a leaner organization, our focus will be on thoughtfully deploying funds to keep Zwipe on the path to real commercialization of our solutions.
Results presentation
CEO Robert Puskaric and CFO Danielle Glenn will present the H1 2024 results by webcast today, Thursday August 24th, at 10:00 CEST.
Webcast details
Date: 24 August 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Format: Webcast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/gpBdkyWMaZP
Participants will be required to register to view the webcast and participate in the Q&A, and are strongly encouraged to submit their questions prior to the webcast on the registration page below or by sending questions to ir@zwipe.com.
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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 08:00 on 24 August 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
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 18 August 2023 – Zwipe AS will publish its H1 2023 financial report on 24 August 2023 at 08:00 CET. On the same day at 10:00 CET, the Company will host a webcast 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 webcast and participate in the Q&A.
Webcast details
Date: 24 August 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Format: Webcast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/gpBdkyWMaZP
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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
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and SUNNYVALE, CA – 18 JULY 2023 – OLOID Inc., a leading provider of physical identity and access technology, has selected biometric cards pioneer Zwipe as its technology partner in pursuing opportunities for biometric access cards across the many markets they serve.
OLOID is a multi-technology identity and access management endeavor with well-known investors like Dell, Honeywell, Okta and others investing in their future. OLOID intends to add Zwipe Access to its expanding global product portfolio.
With market-disrupting technology like the Zwipe Access “biometricsystem-on-card” platform, OLOID will be able to deliver a highly advanced and secure biometric card solution in conjunction with their own physical access, time clock and other IAM offerings.
According to Mohit Garg, Co-Founder and CEO of OLOID, “While the security industry has made significant advances in providing password-less technologies for cognitive workers, the login experience for frontline workers continues to be far from frictionless. Biometric access cards provide a massive opportunity to address the needs of this under served segment of users who do not work on company provided computers and smartphones but require freedom from user names and passwords related challenges to access workplace applications on kiosks and shared terminals.”
Speaking about the partnership, RobertPuskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe, says, “We are happy to partner with OLOID, a software-centric company that offers unique identity and access management solutions. We believe that our Zwipe Access biometric card is a fantastic fit for their global portfolio and a solid match for their retrofit readers.”
About OLOID
OLOID is a leading provider of physical identity and access technology committed to enabling secure and privacy-forward authentication for the modern workplace. OLOID's objective is to establish a unified identity framework that connects and manages workplace identity and access by integrating with HR, IT and various systems of records, thus enabling a unified digital identity across the organization. Headquarteredin Sunnyvale, CA, OLOID is backed by renowned investors including Dell Technology Capital, Honeywell Ventures, Okta Ventures, Unusual Ventures, Emergent Ventures, and WestWave Capital.
To kow more, visit https://www.oloid.ai/
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 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, visit www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 10 July 2023 - Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS (the "Company" or "Zwipe") on 28 June 2023 and the notice dated 28 June 2023 of an extraordinary general meeting in the Company to be held on 10 July 2023 (the "EGM").
All the items on the agenda were addressed and approved. Attached are the minutes of the EGM. The attendants of the EGM represented 25.07% of the votes in the company.
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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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This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book – Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 15:00 on 10 July 2023.
For more information, please contact
Danielle Glenn
CFO and Head of IR, Zwipe AS
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
TAIPEI, TAIWAN and OSLO, NORWAY – 04 July 2023 - Beautiful Card Corporation (BCC), a prominent Taiwanese card manufacturer with global deliveries, has been granted approval from Mastercard to deploy biometric payment cards using Zwipe Pay.
Speaking on this development, Shellen Hsu, Global VP – Sales & Business Development, BCC, says, “We are extremely delighted to obtain approval that enables the deployment of our biometric cards globally. With the growing awareness of biometric payments in the APAC region and beyond, this is crucial as we are witnessing a strong interest in our core markets to launch biometric payment cards based on the Zwipe Pay platform.”
Issuers and consumers will have access to biometric payment cards built on Zwipe Pay technology operating seamlessly across Mastercard's global network, addressing consumers’ demand for increased security and convenience through biometric authentication. Consumers will also benefit from more convenient, safe and secure ways to pay.
According to Patrice Meilland, Chief Strategy, Product and Marketing Officer, Zwipe, “This marks a significant step for BCC in the biometric payment market as issuers will have the opportunity to create differentiation, accelerate customer acquisition, uplift loyalty, and create new revenue streams. With this progress, we look forward to further strengthen our long-standing partnership with BCC and we will continue to develop together our business and technical relationship in the upcoming years.”
About BCC
With 31 years of experience in the smart card industry, BCC is a leading smart card manufacturer globally. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, BCC is a Taiwanese-owned, GSMA SAS-certified, VISA, Mastercard and JCB-certified company with a global strength and local support. It is a neco-sustainable material provider that has compliance with RoHS, REACH, HF, CP65, ETSI, etc.
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 – 28 June 2023 - The Board of Directors of Zwipe AS (the "Company") call for an Extraordinary General Meeting (the "EGM") to be held on 10 July 2023 at 10:00 CEST. The EGM will be held as a digital meeting on Microsoft Teams.
Please find attached the notice of the EGM. The notice and Zwipe's Annual Report for 2022 are available on the Company's website, https://www.zwipe.com/investors.
Shareholders who wish to attend the EGM in person or by proxy or vote in advance are encouraged to register this electronically by following the link on the Company’s website https://www.zwipe.com/investors/general-meetings or via VPS Investor Services, by sending a signed version of the form attached to the notice by e-mail to genf@dnb.no, or by ordinary mail to: DNB Bank ASA, Registrars Department, Postboks 1600 Sentrum, NO-0021 Oslo. Notification of attendance, proxy or advance votes must be registered online or received by DNB Bank ASA, Registrars Department by 16:00 hours CEST on 7 July 2023.
In order to be invited to the meeting, Zwipe's administration will need to have the shareholder's email address in advance. Shareholders must after having registered their attendance also register their email address by sending an email to ir@zwipe.com prior to 16:00 hours CEST on 7 July 2023.
The Board of Directors (the "Board") has proposed the following agenda:
Proposed decisions from the Board:
Matter no. 4: Election of a new member to the Board
The Company's nomination committee (the "Nomination Committee") has proposed that the Board is supplemented by Robert Jansson. Subject to the EGM's approval, the Board for the period from the EGM and until the Company's annual general meeting in 2025 will comprise:
A mini-CV for Robert Jansson has been included as an attachment to the notice.
Matter no 5: Remuneration to the new member of the Board
The Nomination Committee proposes that Robert Jansson receives a remuneration of NOK 130,000 for the period until the Company's annual general meeting in 2024.
Matter no. 6: Approval that the Board may make amendments to the Company's RSU incentive program
On 11 May 2023, the Company's annual general meeting (the "AGM") adopted a resolution on a new incentive scheme directed towards the Company's leading employees and other key personnel in the form of so-called restricted share units (hereinafter the "RSU plan" and "RSUs"). The main rationale behind the RSU plan is to create long-term ownership, being expected to stimulate an increased interest in the business and performance development.
In the notice to the AGM, it was stated that the vesting period for the RSUs will be four years from grant. Following the AGM, the Board has however further assessed the various aspects of the RSU plan as previously presented, hereunder the terms of vesting. In this regard, the Board on 28 June 2023, assessed it as beneficial to amend the conditions of the vesting schedule under the RSU plan. The Board has therefore resolved that the current arrangement with 100% vesting at the expiry of the four-year period is replaced with an annual vesting schedule, with 1/3 vesting at the end of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th year from grant, meaning no vesting after the 1st year. It is assumed that the EGM should approve such change.
The Board has not at this point in time found reason to make any other amendments to the RSU plan or its scope but has proposed that the EGM grants a general authorization to the Board to make changes to the RSU plan, however not including changes of terms with a direct impact on the maximum dilution potentially caused by the RSU plan such as the maximum number of RSUs under the plan and that one vested RSU gives the right to acquire one share in the Company.
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book – Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 12.00 CEST on 28 June 2023.
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For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR: ir@zwipe.com
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit https://www.zwipe.com/.
OSLO, NORWAY – 21 June 2023 – Zwipe AS today announces a streamlining to accelerate its path toward profitability in the medium term. Excluding one-off fundraising costs incurred in 2023, these initiatives are expected to reduce the group’s operating costs in 2023 by approximately NOK 14 million compared to 2022 and lower the cost base by approximately NOK 35 million on an annual basis. The initiatives will commence immediately, and planned improvements are expected to have full impact from the fourth quarter of 2023. 15 employees will leave the company as a consequence.
Following decisions taken at the end of the first quarter to freeze new hiring and reduce planned expenditures in 2023, the company has now completed an internal review aiming to optimize global operations and reduce overall costs. In this effort to ensure long-term, sustainable growth, Zwipe has identified cost-saving initiatives including reductions of staff, lessening of R&D-related activities, restructuring of offices and subsidiaries, reduced external marketing activities, and general reductions in other operating expenditures.
As previously communicated, the development of both the Zwipe Pay and Zwipe Access products has largely been completed. Zwipe Pay has been fully certified by both Visa and Mastercard, mobile enrollment solutions have been finalized, and Zwipe Pay is fully ready for commercial deployment. Similarly, Zwipe Access has now been validated for integration into the HID and Legic access control systems and the product is ready for commercial deployment. As the company’s focus naturally shifts from R&D to commercialization, less development and technical support resources are needed.
On the commercial side for Zwipe Pay, while broader market adoption of biometric payment cards has been slower than we and others in the industry anticipated, Zwipe continues to believe that the market is very close to an inflection point. Zwipe has achieved several significant milestones recently with the first bank issuers announcing commercial launches, and we anticipate this will accelerate in the second half of 2023. Zwipe Access has very strong momentum with several proofs of concept recently having been launched and substantially more in the pipeline. As a consequence of this streamlining, resources within the company will thus be allocated more towards commercialization efforts: executing more Zwipe Pay pilots and initial launches, getting more signed SCMs mass production ready, signing more distribution partners for Zwipe Access, and executing integrations of Zwipe Access with end customers.
Owing to the already completed development efforts carried out for Zwipe Pay and Zwipe Access, this streamlining plan is not expected to affect Zwipe’s ability to serve its customers and partners. The company remains committed to a best-in-class customer experience and providing value-added services and expertise across the payment card and access control value chains.
"This streamlining plan allows us to focus on our commercial objectives for both Zwipe Pay and Zwipe Access while also reducing our overhead costs, ensuring that we are organized in an efficient and agile manner, giving us more financial flexibility, and positioning the company for profitable growth. While it is very difficult to let some of our valued and highly regarded employees go, we believe this decision is necessary as we position ourselves for sustainable growth in the medium and long term" says Robert Puskaric, CEO of Zwipe AS.
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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 08:00 on 21 June 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 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 AMMAN, JORDAN – 20 June 2023 – Middle East Payment Services (MEPS) announces the commercial launch of biometric payment cards based on the Zwipe Pay solution, using Mastercard’s Biometric Card technology.
MEPS is a leading regional player in card issuance, payment processing and merchant acquiring services in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and a principal member of major international issuing and acquiring schemes.
As a result of a deep collaboration, Zwipe and MEPS have tested and successfully piloted the new cards based on the Zwipe Pay platform for biometric payment cards, and approved by Mastercard. These pilots, conducted over the last months, led to this major milestone, making it possible for several banks and issuers to launch the cards swiftly.
According to Ali Jabbar, CEO at MEPS, “MEPS is ready to provide banks and issuers in Jordan and the region with the first worldwide Mastercard Zwipe biometric card, a testament to the innovation we continuously strive to bring to our region.”
Speaking on this partnership, Cynthia El Khoury, Country Business Development Lead, Levant and Iraq at Mastercard, said, “Mastercard has long pioneered biometrics as a secure way to verify identity. We are delighted to leverage our advanced Biometric Card technology to help MEPS and Zwipe maintain the highest levels of security and privacy with the aim of protecting consumers in the region and enhancing their peace of mind.”
Ramzi Saboury, General Manager for the Middle East and Africa Region at Zwipe, said: “This milestone achieved by MEPS is a breakthrough in the biometric cards arena, paving the way for many banks to launch Zwipe Pay-based cards. We are proud and honored that the latest generation of biometric cards based on Zwipe’s solution is commercially launching in Jordan in collaboration with Mastercard, taking the lead globally with this initiative.”
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About MEPS
Middle East Payment Services (MEPS), founded in 2009, is a Principal Issuer and Acquirer of Visa, MasterCard, and UnionPay, with presence in Jordan, Iraq, and Palestine. The company offers financial institutions, merchants, and corporations, a complete range of secure payment solutions in card issuance / hosting, payment processing, alternative payments, ecommerce acquiring, point-of-sale (POS) acquiring, ATM driving and management, and customized value-added services adhering to PCI Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). MEPS is owned by 10 Jordanian and regional banks.
About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart, and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments, and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.
To know more, click here: www.mastercard.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 and KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT – 23 May 2023 – Kuwait International Bank (KIB) takes the lead worldwide as the first commercial launch of biometric payment cards based on Zwipe’s platform. This innovative card will be offered to the elite VIP clients of the bank under the Visa Infinite Black product.
KIB is a public quoted bank operating since 1973 with around 20 branches across the country. The bank is amongst the fastest growing in Kuwait and always striving to make available for its clients the innovative financial solutions that best serve their needs.
As part of this collaboration, Zwipe will deliver its Zwipe Pay solution for biometric payment cards, approved by VISA. This is the result of many years of developments and pilots conducted across several geographies in the past years. The cards will be produced by Inkript, one of the partners of Zwipe in the region.
According to Deema Al Mulaifi, Assistant General Manager of Operations at KIB, “KIB prides itself as a progressive Islamic bank that continues to offer its customers a unique banking experience enhanced by additional convenience and security. We are pleased to announce that our Black Banking segment customers can now enjoy innovative technology through the new biometric card, which is designed to provide convenience and ease of access with a high level of security against fraud attempts. The ability to continue delivering on-demand, tailored and innovative products and services to our customers is a unique mark that distinguishes KIB from others.”
“The Biometric Card feature has the potential to provide our customers with a new method that adds value to their lifestyle as they can request the Visa Infinite card and activate the fingerprint to make POS transactions with great ease. In addition to this secure and simple payment solution, which is in line with the Bank’s new authentication system, the Bank’s Black Banking segment customers enjoy a range of other premium banking benefits and exclusive rewards,” added Al Mulaifi.
Speaking on this partnership, Shashank Singh, Vice President and General Manager for Kuwait and Qatar at VISA said, “Visa is committed to developing and investing in emerging capabilities such as biometrics for the benefit of consumers. That’s why we’re delighted to partner with Kuwait International Bank and Zwipe in bringing this innovative biometric card to consumers in Kuwait who can now enjoy a seamless, secure payment experience.”
Ramzi Saboury, General Manager for the MEA Region at Zwipe said, “We are proud and hounored that the latest generation of biometric cards based on Zwipe’s solution is commercially launched in Kuwait by KIB, taking the lead globally with this initiative. We appreciate the trust in Zwipe Pay that KIB has demonstrated by reaching this milestone. Visa also has been a key player and partner all the way, until the launch today. Zwipe Pay is providing best user experience from enrolment to payment, ensuring high level of security while protecting biometric data privacy.”
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About KIB
Incorporated in 1973 and originally known as Kuwait Real Estate Bank, KIB made the transition to its current Islamic operating model in 2007. In 2018, KIB embarked on a new phase of its journey full of innovation and development. As part of its new strategic direction, the bank focuses on offering a next-level customer experience under the slogan: “Bank for Life”. Through a network of branches spread across the State of Kuwait, KIB offers a broad range of banking products and services, as well as innovative digital banking solutions in line with international best standards.
About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement.
To learn more, visit visamiddleeast.com/blog and follow @VisaCEMEA
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
