Microsoft Word - NewsReleaseCoin.doc

January 5, 2015

Credit Saison Co., Ltd.

Credit Saison acquires a stake in US venture company Coin, Inc.

Credit Saison's first direct investment in a US venture company

Credit Saison Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Toshima Ward, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hiroshi Rinno; hereinafter "the Company") has acquired a stake in Coin, Inc. (headquarters: San Francisco, CA, USA; CEO: Kanishk Parashar; hereinafter "Coin"). In the United States, the country that leads the world in financial technology, Coin collects the functions of multiple magnetic-strip credit cards onto a single device called a "Coin," answering consumers' demands for simplification of their credit-card usage.
One component of the Company's management strategy is a bid to strengthen overseas operations, with a view to entering markets in Southeast Asia. By purchasing stakes in US-based startups and venture companies at the forefront of technology, such as Coin, the Company is looking to boost convenience to its members and deliver new value, thereby expanding transaction volumes. Of these companies, Coin offers excellent affinity with the Company's business. Its technological leadership is particularly attractive for its many potential applications in Japan.
The "Coin" developed by Coin is a smart IT device that looks like a credit card and has the dimensions of a credit card. The user can switch among up to eight credit cards pre-registered in the "Coin" by pressing a round button on the device.
In Coin's system, the magnetic-strip information from various credit cards, prepaid cards and point cards is read into a smartphone using a dongle (dedicated reader), and the card information is managed using an app on the phone. Before the technology can be used, the "Coin" and smartphone must be synced using securely encrypted Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), an extension of the Bluetooth short-distance communication protocol. The "Coin" can then be handled using the same actions and environments as an ordinary credit card.
By taking this stake in Coin, the Company is entering into a global service partnership with an overseas venture company possessing advanced technology. This partnership promotes innovation in a wide range of the Company's operations as an advanced service provider, accelerating its growth as a non-bank financial institution.
[The "Coin" device]

Device specifications

9 A single device can hold the information of up to eight credit cards.

9 Thickness: 0.84mm; Weight: 34g

9 Supports iPhone and Android

9 Surface incorporates E-Ink display

9 Incorporates security features for when the device is in use and to prevent loss or theft of cards


Coin, Inc.
Headquarters: Incorporated in the state of Delaware, operations based in San Francisco, CA Established: June 2012
Operations: Development, manufacture and sale of devices, called "Coins," which incorporate the magnetic-stripe information of multiple credit cards

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