OSLO, NORWAY and BAGHDAD, IRAQ – 4 April 2022 – Zwipe and the National Bank of Iraq are pleased to confirm that they will pilot Biometric Payment Cards built on the Zwipe Pay platform, making it one of the first pilots of the next generation contactless payment cards in Iraq.

The National Bank of Iraq (NBI) is one of the largest private banks in the country. Its majority ownership and management has been under Jordan’s Capital Bank Group since 2005. The bank provides a comprehensive range of banking services to corporates and consumers. Today, NBI has 19 branches in all major cities in Iraq, a key emerging market in the Middle East seeking innovation in its payment ecosystem to minimize fraud and corruption and deliver an excellent user experience.

Speaking on this development, Mr. Ayman Abu Dhaim, CEO at the National Bank of Iraq said, “We are very pleased to partner with Zwipe, a leading technology brand in biometric payment cards globally, and areeba, a leading payment service provider in the region. We are keen to be amongst the first banks in the region to introduce this world-class innovation, ensuring that our customers are extremely well protected when using payment cards while enjoying a great user experience. We are aiming for the pilot to commence in the summer of 2022.”

Mr. Issam Adra, General Manager of areeba Iraq, added: “Biometric payment cards will make the lives of NBI’s customers frictionless, safer, and more secure. areeba is a well-known frontrunner in bringing wide-ranging payment innovations to markets. Zwipe is our well-established partner for biometric payment cards, and we are very pleased about extending our collaboration to Iraq.” 

Ramzi Saboury, General Manager of Zwipe in the MENA Region said, “We are excited to partner with the National Bank of Iraq. I am pleased that our collaboration with the Central Bank of Iraq has encouraged leading Iraqi issuers such as NBI to embrace next-generation payment cards. With 40 million inhabitants and 7 million payment cards, expected to grow to more than 10 million over the next 4 years according to the World Bank, Iraq represents a significant growth opportunity for Zwipe in the Middle East.”

About NBI

National Bank of Iraq, owned by Jordan’s Capital Bank Group since 2005, provides a comprehensive range of innovative banking services to corporates and individuals in Iraq. With its extensive network of correspondent banks, Capital Bank stands as National Bank of Iraq’s gateway to global economies, as it facilitates sending and receiving internal and external transfers, granting credit facilities, and providing trade finance services. National Bank of Iraq can trade on behalf of its clients in the Jordanian market and in global markets through Capital Investments, Capital Bank’s investment arm- as well as providing trading services in the Iraq Stock Exchange through its wholly owned subsidiary.

The acquisition that Capital Bank Group undertook towards the end of 2020 of the Lebanese Bank Audi business in Jordan and Iraq reinforced the group’s expansion and presence in these two markets, as the branches of the National Bank of Iraq increased from 13 to 19 branches in all major cities.

In addition, the National Bank of Iraq is furthering its regional expansion with the recently established operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

About areeba

AREEBA IRAQ FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND ELECTRONIC PAYMENT LLC (PRIVATE COMPANY) is an Iraqi entity fully regulated and licensed by the Central Bank of Iraq for issuing, processing and acquiring services under CBI license number 12, provides smarter, faster, and seamless payment solutions for banks, financial institutions, merchants, governments and individuals. Areeba-Iraq takes the business further by introducing new technologies to facilitate cashless payment in Iraq. Areeba-Iraq is ultimately owned by Areeba Holding Limited, the leading operating firm in the region; and is a principal member at Mastercard and Visa, as well as it has a strategic partnership with American Express.

For further information please contact: Issam Adra, General Manager , +9647803988098, www.areeba.iq or e-mail: iraq@areeba.iq

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 www.zwipe.com 

For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 93 43 69 52  info@zwipe.com