Utilizing Gemalto's ability to design its Optelio range of banking cards with a transparent card body, this new range will provide ATF Bank with a highly differentiated customer offer in the fast-growing market for contactless payments in Kazakhstan.

To date, Gemalto has delivered innovative contactless EMV products to more than 40 banks in Russia and neighboring countries including Belarus, Georgia, and Ukraine. Gemalto's reinforced footprint in the region helps its customers benefit from the surging mobile payment trend, and create a homogeneous in-store payment experience across devices.

"Kazakhstan is experiencing a rapid expansion in demand for contactless payments, matched by an equally dramatic rise in the number of contactless-ready POS terminals available across the country," said Mr. Sanat Abenov, Managing Director - Member of the Board of Joint Stock Company "ATF". "ATF is committed to innovative and distinctive product offers, and Gemalto was the only supplier able to meet our exacting design requirements for a transparent, contactless EMV card certified by the international payment associations."

"This major new project for ATF Bank further extends Gemalto's growing presence in Russia and the CIS region, also reflected in a local personalization center offering a complete portfolio of value-added services right at our customers' doorsteps," said Jean-Paul Ternisien, Senior Vice President of Secure Transactions at Gemalto. "By familiarizing end users with the idea of paying for goods and services with nothing more than a tap, contactless cards represent an important step towards the deployment of a rich array of value added contactless services from not just cards but soon mobile phones."

Gemalto delivers its Optelio banking cards through its partner IBS Project. This new contract reinforces the fruitful cooperation between the partners, in Kazakhstan and neighboring countries.