Continued Growth in Largest Smart Card Industry Group Demonstrates Increasing Success and Acceptance of the Technology

New York, NY, September 18, 2000–The Smart Card Forum (SCF), a multi-industry organization working to accelerate the widespread acceptance and application of smart card technology, today announced that fourteen Principal, Auditing and Government members have joined the growing ranks of the organization. The 14 new members include:

• Access360 Capital One Financial
• Catuity
• Cubic Transportation Systems
• Easi Solutions
• EncypTix Inc.
• Fargo Electronics
• Financial Institutions Consulting Inc.
• New England Bankcard Association
• I-95 Corridor Coalition
• IC Interconnect
• T.K. Keith Company
• US Postal Service
• Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority

“We are delighted to welcome our new members on board.” said Smart Card Forum President & CEO Donna Farmer. ” The Forum has long provided a meeting place and working community for members in this industry to learn and interact with their customers and peers. The diversity of our membership base is a testament to the growing enthusiasm in North America for the use of smart cards to enable e-commerce and to provide privacy and security.”

The Forum’s 8th Annual Meeting will take place Sept. 27-28 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. The focus of this conference is centered on Mobile eCommerce. The Conference will provide open discussions on policy, business and technology issues surrounding Mobile eCommerce with the focus on the role of card technology. Prior to the Annual Meeting will be the Educational Institute on Sept. 25 & 26. This class is taught by world leading industry experts that address technology, product, business, legal and public policy issues associated with the application of smart cards. On Sept. 26th, as part of the Educational Institute, the Mobile eCommerce Project Team will present results of their research regarding electronic application delivered over wireless appliances and how smart card and related technologies can enhance such applications. Also on Sept. 26, the very popular PKI 101 Tutorial will be offered. This class is taught by Charles Walton of Securify and provides attendees with in-depth analysis of the business and technology relevant to Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology including digital signature and certificate-based commerce certificates.

About the Smart Card Forum

The Smart Card Forum is a non-profit, multi-industry organization of nearly 200 members working to accelerate the widespread acceptance of multi-application smart card technology by bringing together, in an open forum, leading users and technologists from both the public and private sectors. Established in 1993, the Forum includes representatives from leading companies in the banking, financial services, telecommunications, computer, technology, healthcare, retail and entertainment industries as well as government agencies and prominent universities. The Smart Card Forum also operates the Smart Card Educational Institute, the industry leading course dedicated to providing smart card education that has set the standard in the industry. The curriculum is based on leading edge education models and methodologies utilizing experienced instructors who are experts in the smart card industry. The Smart Card Forum is the leading organization for education and awareness in the development of the smart card. For more information about The Smart Card Forum, log on to the organization’s Web site at http://www.smartcardforum.org.