DGAP-News

FinTech Group AG underpins turnaround and growth strategy with strong half-year operating profit - Seite 2

increase in their number of trades in the first half year by 34 per cent to
almost 4 million (prior year period: almost 3 million). The total number of
trades within the new group amounted to more than 5 million in the first
half year of 2015. Finally, the new successful partnership with Commerzbank
in the area of CFD trading dated 16.06.2015 also contributed to the strong
results.

Until the end of 2015, the current German GAAP reporting will be switched
to IFRS which will, inter alia form the basis for a possible upgrade to a
listing in the Prime Standard of Frankfurt Stock Exchange as well as for a
possible dual listing on the London AIM.

"We increased our profitability and at the same time strengthened our
technology profile and capabilities through integrating XCOM. Our strong
half-year results show that we successfully laid the economic and
technological foundation for our expansion and ambition to become the
leading European infrastructure provider of innovative technologies in the
financial services sector", states Frank Niehage, CEO of FinTech Group AG.
"We confirm our EUR 20 million EBITDA forecast for 2015. For 2016 we
anticipate an EBITDA of approx. EUR 35 million. In particular, we aim to
develop and expand our payments, mobile banking and technology based
lending divisions. In addition, we will further expand into other European
countries. "

An important driver for growth is biw Bank. It currently holds more than
EUR 1 billion in retail cash deposits. Based on a planned bolstering of
regulatory capital in a double digit million amount, biw Bank will further
develop its lending business with a particular focus on technology based
lending.

biw Bank is already today one of the most important enablers of the German
fintech scene as it empowers innovative start-ups to enter the market with
completely new and disruptive financial services without obtaining their
own banking license. As so-called "white label provider" biw Bank provides
technological services and is a one-stop shop for start-ups such as e.g.
Savedo, Zinspilot, OptioPay and auxmoney for which biw Bank provides
payment services, and custody solutions, offers operative solutions to
regulatory issues and provides technology solutions In addition, biw Bank
maintains its own network of cash machines as a service to its partner
banks. The self-developed banking app "kesh" enables online payments as
well as card-less cash withdrawals by smartphone at designated cash
machines.

In the fourth quarter, FinTech Group will move into its new fintech campus