Country for PR: United Kingdom
Contributor: PR Newswire Europe
Wednesday, November 06 2019 - 01:34
AsiaNet
Wirecard Expands Its Global Financial Platform Services with Market Entry Into China, Investing in Licenses for Digital Payments
ASCHHEIM, Germany, Nov. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet / --

- Controlling stake in Beijing-based Payment Service Provider      
- Unique license portfolio including cross-border license    
- Strong growth potential by supporting Chinese and international companies in 
their business inside and outside China    

Wirecard, the global innovation leader for digital financial technology, is 
investing in a comprehensive license portfolio for digital payments through an 
acquisition in China. Wirecard will gradually acquire all shares in the 
Bejing-based AllScore Payment Services. AllScore Payment Services is currently 
controlled in its majority by its founder and CEO Mr. Yao Lin and Shanghai Aiwu 
Investment Management Co. Ltd.. The framework agreement was signed in Beijing 
today. After the closing, which is subject to customary and regulatory closing 
conditions, Wirecard will hold 80 percent of all shares in AllScore. A call 
option enables Wirecard to acquire the remaining 20 percent of shares after two 
years.   

This step underlines Wirecard's strategy to expand its global technology 
platform by way of cross-border licenses. In the current industry-wide effort 
to enter China, Wirecard is among the first movers in its peer group.   

AllScore Payment Services, founded in 2007, is a local Payment Service Provider 
owning an attractive license portfolio and employing a dedicated team of more 
than 120 people. The license portfolio enables Wirecard to offer 
internationally oriented Chinese merchants local acquiring services, 
cross-border acquiring including settlement in their local currency and 
innovative digital value added services. Additionally, the international 
merchants of Wirecard gain access to Chinese consumers and are enabled to 
accept widely-used digital mobile payments methods and receive settlements in 
their respective local currency. The license portfolio also provides Wirecard 
with the capability to issue payment cards to consumers and companies in 
China.   

Markus Braun, CEO at Wirecard: "We are excited to share the news of Wirecard 
entering China. The Chinese market represents a tremendous opportunity for 
Wirecard. The licenses are a perfect match to the global platform strategy of 
Wirecard."   

Yao Lin, CEO, Chairman and Founder of AllScore Payment Service Co., Ltd.: "We 
welcome Wirecard to China and are proud that they have selected us to enter the 
market, joining in on the efforts of the Chinese Government to open the 
financial sector and improve the regulatory environment for market access to 
foreign investors. Wirecard's demonstrated history in expanding a global, 
digital business and their professional approach to execution, combined with 
our local knowledge and licenses make us an ideal combination to serve Chinese 
merchants, as well as international clients doing business in China."   

The consideration in connection with this transaction comprises cash payments, 
including a capital increase of AllScore Payment Services, of up to EUR 72.4 
million until closing. Subject to customary closing date account adjustments 
the minimum payment will amount to EUR 38.6 million. Furthermore, an earn-out 
payment of up to EUR 16.7 million has been agreed to, subject to EBITDA targets 
in the fiscal year 2020. Wirecard holds a call option to acquire the remaining 
20 percent of shares after two years for up to EUR 20.2 million, subject to 
post-closing EBITDA targets.

For fiscal 2020, Wirecard projects a low single-digit EBITDA contribution in 
EUR after integration costs. The integrated company will generate more than EUR 
35 million of EBITDA in 2021 and an EBITDA in excess of EUR 50 million in 2022.

More information on ir.wirecard.com:

Ad hoc announcement dated 5 November 2019   

ISIN DE0007472060   
Reuters: WDI.GDE   
Bloomberg: WDI GY  

About Wirecard: 

Wirecard (GER:WDI) is one of the world's fastest growing digital platforms in 
the area of financial commerce. We provide both business customers and 
consumers with a constantly expanding ecosystem of real-time value-added 
services built around innovative digital payments by using an integrated B2B2C 
approach. This ecosystem concentrates on the areas payment & risk, retail & 
transaction banking, loyalty & couponing, data analytics & conversion rate 
enhancement in all sales channels (online, mobile, ePOS). Wirecard operates 
regulated financial institutions in several key markets and holds issuing and 
acquiring licenses from all major payment and card networks. Wirecard AG is 
listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (DAX and TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060). 
Visit us on www.wirecard.com, follow us on Twitter @wirecard and on Facebook 
@wirecardgroup.

 

Wirecard contact:   
Wirecard AG    
Iris Stoeckl    
Tel.: +49 (0) 89-4424-1424    
iris.stoeckl@wirecard.com   
http://www.wirecard.com    

 

SOURCE: Wirecard