First Data to Acquire GZS Gesellschaft fur Zahlungssysteme mbH

First Data is a leading provider of electronic commerce andpayment solutions for businesses and consumers worldwide. First Dataserves 4.1 million merchant locations, 1,500 card issuers and millionsof consumers. GZS provides card issuing and acquiring processing aswell as cross-border debit and fraud management solutions to itsbanking clients. Easycash, a fully owned subsidiary of GZS, deliversnetwork service provider and E-business services. Today, GZS processes982 million transactions per year and provides outsourced processingservices for 8.5 million German and Swiss credit cards. Furthermore,GZS provides merchant processing services for its clients who servemore than 300,000 merchants. First Data's acquisition will enable thecompany to broaden its service offering to its banking and merchantclients and to support their cross-border strategies for growth.

David Yates, president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, First DataInternational, said: "We are very pleased that GZS' shareholders haveselected First Data, and that we can bring renewed stability andinvestment capability to the company. This acquisition is a major stepfor First Data, and demonstrates our commitment to the German market.We are convinced that we will bring real value to GZS clients byoffering a broad range of electronic processing and support services.We also look forward to working with the GZS management and staff tofurther develop the business."

Bernd M. Fieseler, chairman of the Supervisory Board of GZS,added: "From the partnership with First Data, GZS' clients willbenefit from enhanced services and economies of scale. GZS is a marketleader for card processing in Germany; First Data is a leading companyin its industry both in Europe and worldwide. With First Data, westabilize the ownership structure of GZS and enlarge services andinvestment capabilities. In this respect, First Data is our favouredpartner to secure the future of GZS."

Norbert Pawlowski, chairman of the management of GZS, said: "TheGZS management team welcomes this acquisition and has activelysupported it. With First Data, GZS has a new shareholder, which bringsall necessary prerequisites to develop our business and tosignificantly strengthen our competitiveness. As part of First Data,the staff of GZS will play a significant role in First Data'sinternational expansion. From this, the company, its clients and staffwill all benefit."

The acquisition complements First Data's expansion during 2004into Greece, and during this year into Austria, Italy, Netherlands,Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Serbia and Montenegro, Russia, Hungaryand the Nordic region.

About First Data

First Data Corp. (NYSE:FDC) is a leading provider of electroniccommerce and payment solutions for businesses and consumers worldwide.Serving 4.1 million merchant locations, 1,500 card issuers andmillions of consumers, First Data powers the global economy by makingit easy, fast and secure for people and businesses around the world tobuy goods and services using virtually any form of payment. Thecompany's portfolio of services and solutions includes credit, debit,private-label, smart and stored-value card issuing and merchanttransaction processing services; money transfer services; moneyorders; fraud protection and authentication solutions; check guaranteeand verification services through TeleCheck; as well as Internetcommerce and mobile solutions. Western Union and its subsidiary,Orlandi Valuta, together make up one of the world's largest moneytransfer networks with approximately 250,000 Agent locations in morethan 200 countries and territories. The company's STAR Network offersPIN-secured debit acceptance at 1.7 million ATM and retail locations.For more information, visit www.firstdata.com.

About GZS

As leading service provider in the German speaking region, GZSGroup arranges for the professional processing of cashless andcard-based payments and offers innovative services in the area ofintelligent transaction processing. Approx. 1,200 banks and clientstrust in the services of GZS, which stood for approx. one billion cardtransactions and a card revenue of EUR 75.8 bn in 2004.

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