New Tech to Help 2 Billion People Without Bank Accounts

LONDON, June 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

For all the talk of an emerging "cashless" society, in much of the world cash is still king. In Mexico, it's estimated that 65 percent of the adult population is still without a traditional bank account - and 80 percent of all financial transactions are conducted in cash. Yet an upstart company is working to change that. Mentioned in today's commentary includes: DPW Holdings Inc. (NYSE: DPW), Square Inc. (NYSE: SQ), Teradata Corporation (NYSE: TDC), Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ: AMD), Rapid7 Inc (NASDAQ: RPD).

QPAGOS (QPAG) has developed a way to offer digital payment services to as many as 2 billion "unbanked" consumers worldwide. By installing self-serve payment kiosks in easily accessible locations, QPAGOS helps people without bank accounts pay bills electronically, transfer money to relatives and friends, and access digital services once cut off to them.

It's a brand-new industry in many places - and business is exploding. QPAGOS reported a 58 percent increase in revenue in the first quarter of 2018 - and is now expanding to an initial target market estimated at 400 million people.

Not surprisingly, QPAGOS's stock has also soared in recent months, up more than 100 percent in value since late January 2018. Plus, there are reasons to believe that QPAGOS's recent revenue growth will persist - and that QPAGOS's stock could continue to rise in value in the months ahead.

Advanced technology: The key to QPAGOS's (QPAG) growth lies in its simple yet sophisticated self-service kiosks and secure digital payment technologies. The digital banking kiosks are like ATM machines on steroids, allowing "unbanked" consumers who normally use cash to pay bills electronically and transmit payments to remote locations.

In addition to the kiosks, the company also provides payment solutions via mobile phones.

That's important because, according to estimates from the World Bank, half of the world's 2 billion unbanked consumers have cell phones - and thus could potentially access QPAGOS's "Monedero" electronic wallet app.

The app lets users without bank accounts pay for products and services with their phones, and the same technology gives small businesses the ability to accept payments in remote locations without expensive merchant card terminals.

Strategic partnerships: To achieve its ambitious goals, QPAGOS (QPAG) is working with some of the world's largest companies, including AT&T, XBox, Dish, Apple, Virgin Mobile, Nextel and 150 others.

These companies are able to use QPAGOS's digital banking platforms to gain access to millions of cash-paying customers who might not normally avail themselves of digital services. Consumers, for their part, can use QPAGOS kiosks to pay in cash for services such as cell phones, utility bills and even digital movies.

Huge revenue potential: The fees that digital banking generates are legendary. Although the individual charges can be relatively small, the large number of transactions creates a revenue stream that is a virtual tsunami of cash. Since it started in 2014, QPAGOS has seen its revenue soar from $1.1 million in 2015 to $3.9 million at the end of last year.

Plus, in addition to the traditional fees that QPAGOS collects - payment processing fees, service provider commissions, advertising fees and kiosks sales and rentals - QPAGOS is also now targeting the enormous "remittances" market in North America.

Each year, foreign workers in North America transmit an estimated $60 billion to relatives back in their home countries, often using expensive and inconvenient storefront locations, such as 7-11 or Western Union, to do so. With its easy-to-use self-serve kiosks, QPAGOS hopes to siphon off a large portion of this $60 billion cash payment stream.

Virtually unlimited market: At the moment, QPAGOS (QPAG) has consolidated its position in emerging market countries in Latin America where an estimated 80 percent of the adult population still uses cash alone to pay its bills. For QPAGOS, this represents a market of 320 million unbanked consumers in countries such as Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Peru and Mexico.

In Mexico alone, QPAGOS has already placed 700 kiosks and is targeting there an untapped market of 36 million unbanked consumers with the potential of 320 million payments per month at 214,000 possible locations, such as supermarkets, pharmacies and mom and pop stores. And beyond the emerging markets in Latin America, QPAGOS also aims to expand into the U.S. and beyond.

Its initial goal is to establish 1,000 kiosks in the U.S., primarily in California, and then to expand quickly to 10,000 kiosks. If the company can assist foreign workers with just 1 percent of their $60 billion electronic transactions, that represents payments of some $600 million.

Plus, the U.S. is just the beginning. As noted earlier, the World Bank estimates there are currently 2 billion adults around the world without access to formal financial services. QPAGOS could potentially service -billions of electronic payments per month. It could easily end up being the PayPal of the unbanked world.

Limited competition: What makes QPAGOS (QPAG) a potentially exciting opportunity is the relative lack of competition in the unbanked market. While those with access to regular bank accounts can avail themselves of a wide variety of electronic payment systems, such as Venmo, Apple Pay and PayPal, the unbanked have limited choices.

At the moment QPAGOS is generating annual revenue of approximately $4 million with just 700 of its self-serve, touch-screen kiosks operational. If it adds an additional 3,000 kiosks per year, it's possible that QPAGOS could hit $35 million in sales in just 24 months.

Best of all for investors, QPAGOS is currently flying below Wall Street's radar. Yet that could change overnight - especially as QPAGOS strikes new deals with such giant e-commerce companies as Virgin Mobile, Movistar, Telcel and others.

It's possible that QPAGOS (QPAG) might eventually be seen as the "PayPal of the emerging market."

Other companies to watch as financial technology takes off:

DPW Holdings Inc. (NYSE:DPW) is a holding company focusing on the acquisition of disruptive tech within a number of industries. From aerospace to cryptocurrency mining, DPW identifies and incubates undervalued assets with the possibility of significant growth in the future. The company's devotion to innovation cannot be ignored, and as the fintech revolution takes off, DPW is sure to jump in head first.

DPW's sharp eye for emerging technology and dedication to shareholders make it a likely choice for investors, and as the tech boom accelerates, the company is unlikely to disappoint.  

Square Inc. (NYSE:SQ): Its genesis was all about smartphone plug-ins (hardware) targeting food truck vendors and other small businesses that needed an easier way to accept credit cards, or face losing major business. They filled a niche that did not exist but needed to…and quickly. Since then, the company has started targeting much larger businesses with an array of services and software-all geared toward merchant convenience, which translates into bigger revenues for all parties.

Teradata Corporation (NYSE:TDC): Providing other data platform solutions, Teradata Corporation specializes in analytic data platforms, analytic applications, and related services. The services are used around the world and its offerings include analytic solutions, ecosystem architecture consulting and hybrid cloud solutions.

Teradata Corporation may be flying under some investors' radar, for the moment, but with the rapid growth of the fintech industry, the opportunity to get in cheap won't last for much longer.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD) is Nvidia's biggest competitor. The company has developed a cult following among gamers, leading to many a Reddit debate. AMD's groundbreaking technology not only rivals that of Nvidia, some even argue that it outperforms it. As the two square off, one of the key areas to keep an eye on is in the GPU race. Widely purchased across the world as Bitcoin frenzy heats up, AMD is making a particularly hard push toward conquering that emerging demand.

While Nvidia has a significantly higher market cap (and stock price), AMD provides investors a much cheaper entrance into the gaming market. Those looking to get into tech industry stocks, mine Bitcoin, or play their favorite game on the highest quality are definitely not ignoring AMD.

Rapid7 Inc (NASDAQ:RPD) is a huge player in security and information technologies. The company's special, analytics-driven approach to cybersecurity and IT operations give it an incredible advantage over its competitors. The company's in-depth knowledge of the threats facing businesses' physical, virtual, and cloud-based assets allow for high quality service which puts Rapid7, Inc ahead in the field.

As the threat of cyber-attack becomes more and more apparent, investors are realizing the value of cybersecurity firms, making them some of the hottest stocks on the market.

By. Ian Jenkins

IMPORTANT NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER

PAID ADVERTISEMENT. This communication is a paid advertisement. Safehaven.com, Advanced Media Solutions Ltd, and their owners, managers, employees, and assigns (collectively "the Publisher") is often paid by one or more of the profiled companies or a third party to disseminate these types of communications. In this case, the Publisher has been compensated by a third party shareholder to conduct investor awareness advertising and marketing for QPAGOS. The third party shareholder paid the Publisher sixty six thousand six hundred and sixty six US dollars per article to produce and disseminate six articles and certain banner ads over an approximately six-month period. This compensation should be viewed as a major conflict with our ability to be unbiased.  

Readers should beware that the third party shareholder, other third parties, profiled companies, and/or their affiliates may liquidate shares of the profiled companies at any time, including at or near the time you receive this communication, which has the potential to hurt share prices. Frequently companies profiled in our articles experience a large increase in volume and share price during the course of investor awareness marketing, which often ends as soon as the investor awareness marketing ceases. The investor awareness marketing may be as brief as one day, after which a large decrease in volume and share price may likely occur.

This communication is not, and should not be construed to be, an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Neither this communication nor the Publisher purport to provide a complete analysis of any company or its financial position. The Publisher is not, and does not purport to be, a broker-dealer or registered investment adviser. This communication is not, and should not be construed to be, personalized investment advice directed to or appropriate for any particular investor. Any investment should be made only after consulting a professional investment advisor and only after reviewing the financial statements and other pertinent corporate information about the company. Further, readers are advised to read and carefully consider the Risk Factors identified and discussed in the advertised company's SEC and/or other government filings. Investing in securities, particularly microcap securities, is speculative and carries a high degree of risk. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This communication is based on information generally available to the public and does not contain any material, non-public information. The information on which it is based is believed to be reliable. Nevertheless, the Publisher cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information.

SHARE OWNERSHIP. The owner of Safehaven.com owns shares and/or stock options of the featured companies and therefore has an additional incentive to see the featured companies' stock perform well. The owner of Safehaven.com will not notify the market when it decides to buy or sell shares of this issuer in the market. The owner of Safehaven.com will be buying and selling shares of the featured company for its own profit. This is why we stress that you conduct extensive due diligence as well as seek the advice of your financial advisor or a registered broker-dealer before investing in any securities.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS. This publication contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding expected continual growth of the featured companies and/or industry. The publisher notes that statements contained herein that look forward in time, which include everything other than historical information, involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the companies' actual results of operations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, changing governmental laws and policies, the success of the companies' technology, the size and growth of the market for the companies' products and services, the companies' ability to fund their capital requirements in the near term and long term, pricing pressures, etc.  

INDEMNIFICATION/RELEASE OF LIABILITY. By reading this communication, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this disclaimer, and further that to the greatest extent permitted under law, you release the Publisher, its affiliates, assigns and successors from any and all liability, damages, and injury from this communication. You further warrant that you are solely responsible for any financial outcome that may come from your investment decisions.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. Safehaven.com is the Publisher's trademark. All other trademarks used in this communication are the property of their respective trademark holders. The Publisher is not affiliated, connected, or associated with, and is not sponsored, approved, or originated by, the trademark holders unless otherwise stated. No claim is made by the Publisher to any rights in any third-party trademarks.

DISCLAIMER: Safehaven.com is Source of all content listed above. FN Media Group, LLC (FNM), is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with Safehaven.com or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by Safehaven.com are solely those of Safehaven.com and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM was not compensated by any public company mentioned herein to disseminate this press release.

FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.


Media Contact:
FN Media Group LLC
e-mail: [email protected]  
U.S. Phone: +1(954)345-0611

SOURCE Safehaven.com

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]