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ABRA ANNOUNCES PUBLIC APP LAUNCH AND MERCHANT API SOLUTION; RATAN TATA AND AMERICAN EXPRESS JOIN SERIES A FUNDING ROUND

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 22, 2015 – Abra, the company changing how people use cash and their smartphones to send and receive money around the world, announced that the Abra app will be available to all registered users in the US and Philippines in the coming weeks, with more countries to follow soon. The company also announced their entry into online, digital cash-based merchant payments.

In addition, Abra announced that Ratan Tata, the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, and American Express have made strategic investments in Abra as part of the recently-announced Series A round. These are the first investments in the crypto currency world for both American Express and Ratan Tata.

“As people and businesses transact more globally, there’s a need for more convenient and affordable ways to move money, and we think the blockchain could play an important role in the evolution of money transfer and commerce, especially in emerging markets,” said Harshul Sanghi, Managing Partner, American Express Ventures. “We’re pleased to invest in Abra and to learn more and imagine new possibilities for blockchain technology.”

Abra is also announcing an innovative set of services and features to support global online merchants who wish to accept digital cash via the Abra app as a form of payment. Any merchant who adds the Abra Merchant APIs to their web or mobile app can allow a consumer to pay for any product or service by simply typing in their mobile phone number at checkout. Authorization and settlement happens as soon as the consumer confirms the transaction via the Abra app.

Abra has already been signing up merchants for this new solution and will be demonstrating the service at the Money2020 Conference later this week. Abra expects to begin the global launch of the Merchant API service later this quarter.

“Billions of consumers can’t easily access debit and credit networks for payments and money transfer. Either they don’t have a bank account, they can’t use their bank or card details for online international transactions, they may be traveling to a place where they can’t use the local banking networks, or they are simply concerned about privacy and theft of their banking and payment credentials. Abra foresees the convergence of payments and money transfer for these consumers into a single, global digital cash network that addresses all of these problems,” said Bill Barhydt, CEO and Founder of Abra.

Abra won the Launch Festival in March as Best Overall Company. The Abra app provides for storing digital cash, sending that money to any smartphone and using a new network of human ATMs, called Abra Tellers, who are individuals or businesses earning money by buying and selling digital cash to and from any consumer via the Abra app.

About Abra

Abra is making cash mobile. We enable anyone to store digital cash, valued in any currency, directly on your phone with no bank required. Send cash instantly to anyone with a smartphone, anywhere in the world. Our network of Abra Tellers –individuals or businesses who facilitate the buying and selling of digital cash –makes financial services more accessible for consumers and creates new business opportunities around the world. Abra is available on Android and iPhone.


About Abra

Established in 2014, Abra is on a mission to create a simple and honest platform that enables millions of cryptocurrency holders to maximize the potential of their assets. Abra enables both individuals and businesses to safely and securely buy, trade, and borrow against cryptocurrencies – all in one place. Abra’s vision is an open, global financial system that is easily accessible to everyone.

Why Abra

Based in the United States, Abra is available in over 150 countries and makes it easy to convert between crypto and a wide variety of local fiat currencies. With over 2MM customers, $7B in transactions processed, and $1.5B in assets under management, Abra continues to grow rapidly. Abra is widely loved and trusted – in April 2022, pymnts.com reviewed and rated Abra amongst the top 5 most popular crypto wallets in the market. Abra is backed by top-tier investors such as American Express Ventures and First Round Capital.

How Abra Protects Your Funds

Abra places clients’ financial objectives and security first. Abra practices a culture of risk management across all levels and functions within the organization.

Abra employs a state-of-the-art enterprise risk management framework that comprises a comprehensive set of policies, procedures, and practices detailing all applicable risk-related objectives and constraints for the entirety of the business. Abra has instituted a complete set of requisite systems and controls that continuously enforce these policies, procedures, and practices to manage all operations, including credit and lending. Abra’s independent Risk Committee comprises experienced compliance, risk, securities, and fraud operations professionals with backgrounds in industries ranging from traditional and digital assets banking, payments, remittance, to fintech.

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