Zwipe and INC to pilot Next Generation Contactless Cards in Iraq

OSLO, NORWAY and BAGHDAD, IRAQ – 22 December 2021 - Zwipe and International Network for Cards and Digital Payment Services (INC) are pleased to confirm that they will pilot Biometric Payment Cards in Iraq. This will be the first biometric payment card pilot in the country. As one of the fastest growing cards and payments companies in Iraq, INC will be offering issuance of white label biometric cards as a service for banks and other payment companies.

In collaboration with Zwipe, INC will incorporate biometric payment cards in its portfolio and offer it as a standard payment product to its client banks in the Iraqi market, with the first client being INC’s own NEO Visa cards which will be introduced as the first biometric plastic cards in Iraq.

This development was made possible through INC’s strategic partner Nymcard which confirmed in September 2021 its collaboration with the Norwegian technology company Zwipe to bring biometric payment cards to the MENA region.

Speaking on this development, Zaid Fawzi, CEO and Founder of INC, said: “We are proud to step up our collaboration with Zwipe and bring the next generation contactless experience to Iraq. Our partnership with Zwipe has greatly strengthened INC’s mission to deliver payment solutions with state-of-the-art security and world-class user experience. Our pilot in Iraq with the NEO Visa cards will be the first step in bringing this fantastic product to other players in the market.”

General Manager for MENA region at Zwipe, Ramzi Saboury said: “Our partnership with NymCard and its subsidiaries in the region such as INC will greatly accelerate the deployment of next generation contactless cards. I am happy to launch this pilot project with INC in Iraq - a large market with huge growth potential. It is worth mentioning that the Central Bank of Iraq has already endorsed our initiative to bring biometric payment cards to Iraq and is encouraging all Iraqi banks to be part of this exciting innovation.”

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About INC

The International Network for Cards and digital payment services (INC) is an Iraqi registered company and holds a license as Issuer and Processor to practice business in electronic payments from the Central Bank of Iraq No. (7) according to Law No. (56) issued in 2004. Through its NEO brand, INC has released a state of the art mobile app featuring a digital wallet, and enabled online card payments to its customers via the first virtual Visa card in Iraq, in addition to other card programs such as NEO Visa Gift and NEO Visa Travel, available as physical plastic cards with the aim to increase financial inclusion in the Iraqi market.

About Zwipe

Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries & cultures to make convenience safe & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions.  We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.

To learn more, visit zwipe.com

For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135, info@zwipe.com