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9/20/2007
Agreement with Agricultural Bank of China
Planet Payment [LSE:AIM: PPTR and PPT], a leading international multi-currency payment and data processor, today announces that it has signed an agreement with Agricultural Bank of China (“ABC”) to provide Planet Payment’s “Pay in Your Currency” service to the Bank’s customers in the People’s Republic of China. ABC, one of the “big four” state-owned Chinese banks, intends to launch the service in Shanghai prior to year end 2007.
“Pay in Your Currency” provides customers using Visa® or MasterCard® payment cards with a choice of currencies in which to complete their purchases. This means that tourists and business travellers know how much they are paying in their home currency at the point of purchase and no longer have to wait until they return home to discover their transactions’ actual cost. In addition, the service provides merchants with a powerful marketing tool that can be used to attract more customers and drive sales by providing superior customer service and a more personalized shopping experience.
The rapid growth in international travel in China and the corresponding increase in credit card usage presents an excellent opportunity for the “Pay in Your Currency” service. According to statistics recently released by Visa, international purchases made by Visa card in China totaled US$1.76 billion in the first half of 2007, which is almost 20% more than in the same period in 2006.
The increase in international travel is expected to continue to rise for the foreseeable future, with the Pacific Asia Travel Association estimating that the total number of international arrivals in China will grow an average of 5% per year through 2009, when China can expect a total of 146 million foreign visitors. In addition, the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai are expected to draw a significant number of foreign travellers to the region.
Commenting on the agreement, Philip Beck, Chairman and Chief Executive of Planet Payment, said: “Planet Payment is very proud to announce this agreement with Agricultural Bank of China. We believe the service provides greater clarity at the point-of-sale and allows ABC to process international transactions more efficiently and profitably. We look forward to building a mutually beneficial relationship with this prestigious banking partner.”
Enquiries to:
Planet Payment, Inc.
Thomas J. DeLuca, SVP Corporate Development Tel: +852 9303-0658
Joel Mayer, Director, Corporate Development Tel: + 1 (516) 670-3200
Redleaf Communications Ltd
Emma Kane / Paul Dulieu / Tom Newman Tel: +44 20 7822 0200
Fax: +44 20 7822 0201
ek@redleafpr.com
Canaccord Adams Ltd
Mark Williams/Clayton Bush Tel: +44 20 7050 6500
Fax: +44 20 7050 6501
About Planet Payment
Further information on Planet Payment [LSE: AIM: PPT and PPTR for unrestricted and Reg S common shares respectively] can be found at: www.planetpayment.com. This website is the one required to be maintained by the Company pursuant to AIM Rule 26 and the information required to be provided under Rule 26 is accessible by clicking on “Investors”.
Planet Payment is a multi-currency payment and data processor, enabling processors, acquiring banks and their merchants to accept, process and reconcile credit card transactions in multiple currencies, allowing cardholders to view prices and settle transactions in their native currency. Planet Payment’s systems also enable it to provide enhanced data reporting and data management and integrated payment solution support to merchants using multiple systems in different countries. The “Pay in Your Currency” is a component of Planet Payment’s suite of multi-currency processing solutions, which include a multi-currency pricing e-commerce service and a Dynamic Currency Conversion service. Planet Payment also recently launched BuyVoice™, a mobile payment and commerce solution, which allows merchants to accept payments and sell product to customers using any mobile or landline phone.
The Planet Payment business was established in 1999. Planet Payment is headquartered in New York and has offices in Atlanta, Beijing, Bermuda, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
Forward-Looking Statements. Information contained in this announcement may include ‘forward-looking statements’. All statements other than statements of historical facts included herein, including, without limitation, those regarding Planet Payment’s financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations (including development plans and objectives relating to Planet Payment’s business) are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions regarding Planet Payment’s present and future business strategies and the environment in which Planet Payment expects to operate in future, which assumptions may or may not be fulfilled in practice. Actual results may vary materially from the results anticipated by these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of risk factors, including the risk that implementation, adoption and offering of the service by processors, acquirers, merchants and others may take longer than anticipated, or may not occur at all, regulatory changes, particularly in China and changes in card association regulations and practices; general economic risk and volume of international travel and commerce and others.. These forward-looking statements speak only as to the date of this announcement and cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. Planet Payment expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement to reflect any changes in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.
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