NANTERRE, France--()--Oberthur Technologies, a leading provider of security and identification solutions and services based on smart card technologies, entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire MoreMagic Solutions, a leading mobile financial services solutions provider, based in Waltham, MA.
“The acquisition of MoreMagic is fully in line with our growth strategy notably in our Solutions business and more specifically in the NFC eco-system. The complementarities between our respective technological bricks and Oberthur Technologies’ TSM expertise will perfectly fit the needs of our clients, in both mature and developing countries.”
On February 28th, 2012, Oberthur Technologies entered into an exclusive agreement with MoreMagic supported by its major shareholders including Battery Ventures and Vision Capital.
Today, the mobile phone increasingly represents a cost-effective solution to increase access to commerce and financial services both in the developed world and in the emerging markets. Mobile Money services offer secure and convenient means for banked and unbanked people to pay, send and receive money, everywhere at any time. The arrival of NFC technology will foster even more these services.
Over the last years, Oberthur Technologies has actively engaged in both NFC and Mobile Money solutions, and recently won a key reference in Czech Republic in technological partnership with MoreMagic.
Combined, the technological capabilities of Oberthur Technologies and MoreMagic will create a comprehensive mobile money services suite including secured end-to-end payment and money transfer services helping mobile operators and financial institutions to offer innovative financial services in mobility such as proximity, remote payment and mobile banking.
Xavier Drilhon, CEO of Oberthur Technologies: “The acquisition of MoreMagic is fully in line with our growth strategy notably in our Solutions business and more specifically in the NFC eco-system. The complementarities between our respective technological bricks and Oberthur Technologies’ TSM expertise will perfectly fit the needs of our clients, in both mature and developing countries.”
Pankaj Gulati, CEO of MoreMagic: “For MoreMagic, its employees and customers this is a great opportunity to create and utilize end-to-end, secure, turn-key solutions and cloud based services in the mobile financial services space. Oberthur Technologies’ global footprint and their leadership and commitment to the mobile payments space are very important for us. This new step in our collaboration is the natural evolution of an already successful partnership.”
This acquisition remains subject to the consultation of employees work council and other customary approvals, including from relevant antitrust authorities.
Rutberg & Company acted as exclusive financial advisor to MoreMagic on this transaction.
About Oberthur Technologies
Oberthur Technologies is a world leader in the field of secure technologies: systems development, solutions and services for smart cards (payment cards, SIM cards, access cards, NFC…) and for secure identity documents, traditional and electronic (identity card, passport, health care card). Created in 1984, Oberthur Technologies employs 5,700 employees. With 50 sales offices across 5 continents, Oberthur Technologies’ international network serves clients in 140 countries.
For more information: www.oberthur.com
About MoreMagic Solutions
With deployments in more than 30 countries worldwide, MoreMagic Solutions offers mobile payment solutions to mobile operators, financial institutions, content providers, and distributors, enabling consumers to purchase goods and services on demand using a mobile phone, POS, or web. MoreMagic’s high-throughput payments engine (m:BrokerTM) and the portfolio of pre-packaged mobile commerce applications in MagicSuiteTM, enable revenue-generating services, including mobile recharge, domestic and international mobile money transfer, mobile banking and mobile payments. MagicHubTM, MoreMagic’s global value exchange which is connected to a worldwide distributor network, brings mobile operator branded services to out-of-country customers, enabling communications with relatives back home, and increased usage on mobile networks worldwide.
For more information: www.moremagic.com
