Earthport Regulatory News (EPO)

11 August 2015

Earthport plc

("Earthport", the "Company" or the "Group")

Japan Post Bank chooses Earthport Payment Network to provide cross-border services for its customers

First post bank to leverage Earthport's dynamic single point access for efficient cross-border payments

Earthport (AIM: EPO), the leading payment network for cross border transactions, announces an agreement to enable cross-border services for Japan Post Bank, Japan's largest retail bank in terms of deposits. The first of its kind, this partnership will enable the bank to provide improved customer experience and reach for cross border consumer remittances.  

Japan Post Bank, the world's thirteenth largest bank based on total assets, is primarily a retail financial institution with a history spanning 140 years. It provides consumers with financial services through a network of local post offices and ATM's throughout Japan. Its focus is to offer superior customer experience and high satisfaction levels offering a broad product portfolio which now includes a competitive cross-border payment service.

Like other post banks, Japan Post Bank is a member of Eurogiro, the International electronic funds transfer system between the postal services of the member countries. This service allows funds movement to and from post banks with maximum security. In this partnership, Earthport will provide Japan Post Bank with access to incremental capabilities and reach for customers who need expanded cross border remittance services. Earthport is also in talks with a number of other post banks re the provision of cross-border services.

Michel Stuijt, CEO of Eurogiro said: "The services of Earthport enhance Japan Post Bank's service offering and bring added coverage to consumers with unique remittance needs. As individuals become more mobile, their needs become more significant and Earthport becomes the bridge to seamlessly offer payment services."

Mr. Masahiro Murashima, Senior Managing Executive, Japan Post Bank said: "We are delighted that Japan Post Bank will be able to offer Earthport's unique transparent service for cross-border payments. This offering ensures our customers receive payments in full without any surprise charges or deductions and aligns with our philosophy of being the most accessible and trustworthy bank in Japan."

Sajeev Viswanathan, Executive Director & President, Global Strategy, Earthport said: "We are proud to have Japan Post Bank as our customer, and recognise its need to service its customers with solutions that are more predictable, transparent, and cost-effective. This flagship partnership is a prestigious one for Earthport and is a positive endorsement of our offering as we discuss similar relationships with post banks across the globe."

A range of international banks, money transfer organisations including HSBC, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Western Union, Standard Chartered, Azimo and Xoom benefit from Earthport's cross border payments solutions.

For further information, please contact:

About Earthport

Earthport plc powers cross-border payments for financial institutions, digital commerce, money transfer companies, payment gateways and public sector entities. One connection to Earthport brings clients access to the largest open network for global bank payments, with integrated sophisticated validation and compliance services. Our in-country experts across the globe deliver solutions to our customers, who are among the most admired and innovative brands in the world and rely on Earthport to support their global trade, digital commerce and remittance operations.

Earthport is transforming the future of cross-border payments, satisfying the need for fast, cost efficient, transparent and reliable payments. Earthport is headquartered in London and is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) on the London Stock Exchange. It operates globally with an office in New York. Earthport plc, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Service Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services. Among the FinTech50, Earthport is the recipient of the 2015 Grant Thornton Technology company of the year award and FStech Retail Systems' 2014 B2B Payments Innovation of the Year. For more information, visit www.earthport.com, via RSS, social channels, Twitter @Earthport, LinkedIn, Google+, Youtube and Slideshare.

About Japan Post Group

Japan Post Group was established in 2007 under the Postal Service Privatization Act in Japan. Japan Post Holdings provides postal, banking and insurance services through three wholly owned subsidiaries, Japan Post, Japan Post Bank, Japan Post Insurance. Japan Post Holdings had consolidated reported revenue of JPY 15,240 billion (USD 127 billion) and Net Ordinary Income of JPY 1,104 billion (USD 9.2 billion) in the financial year ended 31 March 2014. Japan Post Group employs approximately 400,000 people across 13 branches and 24,000 post offices throughout Japan. Japan Post Group offers various products and services required at any life stage, prioritizing customer's daily life via a nationwide network.