Uniastrum Bank 2010 Results Show 50% Increase In Payment Card Distribution

MOSCOW, RUSSIA, January 30, 2011 (Press-News.org) Last year Uniastrum Bank also gave out 50% more cards with planned overdraft facility than in 2009, issuing 85,000 as of January 1, 2011. Meantime, its card portfolio grew 90%, weighing in at Rb 3.35 bn. In 2010 Uniastrum's total cardholder balance climbed 17%, totaling around Rb 2 bn as of year-start 2011. In the same period the Bank distributed more than 132,500 payroll cards.

Around 41,000 cards were issued as part of Uniastrum's consumer credit programs. Overall, the Bank disbursed Rb 2.3 bn in consumer loans in 2010, while its consumer loan portfolio increased 76.5% to Rb 3.2 bn.

Uniastrum cards offer practicality and convenience, thanks to the Bank's state-of-the-art processing center, an extensive network of in-house ATMs and payment kiosks, which, as of January 1, 2011, numbers 782 terminals, including 678 ATMs and 104 CDMs. The number of ATMs operated by the United Settlement System, which Uniastrum joined in 2008, currently stands at around 8,500.

"Last year we ran a range of interesting initiatives for our cardholders, including package and cross-selling programs in Moscow and every city where the Bank maintains a presence. We also launched new discount programs, and honed our network of payment kiosks," says Oleg Shvetsov, First Deputy Chairman of Uniastrum's Management Board. "In 2011 we intend to continue rolling out this particular business segment and have our sights set on ramping up our credit card and consumer loan portfolio at least 50%."

CB UNIASTRUM BANK LLC was established in 1994. Uniastrum is a universal lending institution offering a comprehensive range of financial products and services, with particular focus given to the retail sector and small and medium-sized businesses. Uniastrum is one of Russia's Top-30 systemically important banks, as ranked by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, and places among the country's Top-20 based on the size of its branch network. It is Russia's 44th largest bank by asset size, 37st by loan portfolio volume, 32th by overall retail deposits, and 13th by total auto loans. In 2003-2007 it was the 14th biggest dynamic-growth bank, according to ratings released by RosBusinessConsulting news agency. Uniastrum's financial statement for October 1, 2010 showed the Bank's total assets at Rb 134 bn, with equity capital amounting to Rb 8.99 bn. Uniastrum Bank is a deposit insurance scheme participant. On May 31, 2010 Moody's Investors Service affirmed the Bank's long-term global foreign and local currency deposit rating at Ba2 with a stable outlook, while Moody's Interfax Rating Agency affirmed its national scale rating at Aa2.ru. Uniastrum's regional network currently numbers around 220 offices (including 43 branches) in 48 Russian regions. Since October 31, 2008 Uniastrum Bank has been a member of the Bank of Cyprus Group.

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