Date: 4 November 2009

Ukash Announces Expansion Of Online Issuance To 22 Countries Across The Globe

London, 3 November 2009: Ukash, the world’s largest prepaid-cash issuing estate, has announced today that it will continue to expand its online issuing service to a total of 22 countries around the world.

Now available in 28 countries worldwide and with over 300,000 physical issuing points, Ukash is the largest global prepaid cash collection network in the world. In the past year, the company has seen its physical estate expand into South Africa, Australia, South and North America, and a number of new European territories.

And now, consumers in the UK, Australia, Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden will be able to get Ukash online from their bank accounts having previously been able to obtainit from physical points of sale in these countriesas the global alternative payments provider continues to pursue its aim of enabling everybody in the world to spend cash online.

And for the first time ever, consumers will be able to obtain Ukash from online bank accounts in Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Norway and Slovakia. This is in addition to Poland, Slovenia, Ukraine, Russia and Spain, where the successful online issuance of Ukash has already been fundamental to the company’s success in these countries.

Through a secure process supported by Citadel Commerce, consumers visit the Ukash website and access a secure interface, from which they can transfer money from their bank account to be turned it into a unique 19-digit Ukash voucher at no additional charge. The voucher can then be used to shop, pay and play online – a safe and convenient electronic transaction with consumer financial information protected at the merchant checkout.

The expansion of the online issuing function means consumers can make payments online with the ease and simplicity of Ukash cash vouchers, with full anonymity and without ever having to step foot in a shop. This makes Ukash increasingly relevant to digitally nervous consumers who don’t want to reveal their financial information when they pay online.

Mark Chirnside, chief executive officer, Ukash said: “Our aim at Ukash is to reduce online fraud and achieve a more socially inclusive approach to online shopping. The expansion and availability of our e-cash vouchers online is an example of our continued efforts to provide Ukash as conveniently and safely as possible to consumers living and working all over the world.”

For more information please contact ING MEDIA:
Seamus O’Keeffe Libby Andrews
ING MEDIA ING MEDIA
seamus@ing-media.com libby@ing-media.com
Ph: 0207 392 1987 Ph: 0207 247 8334

About Ukash ®

Ukash ® is the fastest growing global e-commerce payment solution to enable consumers from anywhere in the world to shop, pay and play online safely using cash. Ukash is a secure payment method developed to protect personal identity and financial information when making online transactions; eliminating the threat of credit and debit card fraud for consumers and repudiations and charge-backs for retailers.

Established in 2001 under the holding company Smart Voucher Ltd, Ukash has grown to more than 300,000 physical points of purchase, and is available in 28 countries around the world. In 2008, Ukash ® established a strategic partnership with South African payments giant Blue Label Telecoms – part owned by Microsoft, to develop the brand’s services.

Ukash ® is regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) and operates as one of only a small number of Electronic Money Institutions, a status that allows a single maximum online cash payment transaction of up to £500/€750.

Uniquely numbered Ukash ® vouchers are available through payment terminals in retail outlets across Europe, South Africa and Australia and are also issued online from the company’s website in selected European territories.

The technology behind Ukash is protected by patents registered across the Smart Voucher database and functionality and is, as such, protected by Patent Law in all the major economies of the world. Ukash ® is a registered trademark of Smart Voucher Ltd.

For more information please visit www.Ukashbusiness.com and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ukashbusiness