The bank’s treat for one of its clients is a VIP ticket for the UEFA Champions League final;

UniCredit has become the official bank of UEFA Champions League and the bank will issue special collector coins for each match.

POS terminal transactions by credit cards issued by UniCredit Bulbank during the second quarter of this year rose by 31% reaching slightly more than 296 thousand. At the same time ATM withdrawals by cards of the bank increased by 9% reaching 69 thousand according to data as of the end of June

“A major goal of banks in Bulgaria, including of UniCredit Bulbank as a leader in the card business, is to create among Bulgarian cardholders a culture of using cards as an instrument of payment and to reduce the use of cash, “ said Mariana Velikova – Chausheva, Head of Cards Department at UniCredit Bulbank.

The increase in the payments made by using cards instead of cash is also confirmed by the official statistics which register a 20% increase in terms of the number of transactions during the first half of 2012 compared to the same period of 2011 as well as a 10% increase in terms of volume. In 2011 the average worth of credit card transactions was nearly BGN 96 while for the first half of this year it amounts to BGN 87. This indicates that there is a change in cardholders’ behaviour and cardholders now use more frequently their cards, including for everyday purchases.

Data for the first half of this year show that 49% of credit card POS-terminal payments are made in supermarkets and their number reaches nearly 2 million as of the end of June. For the sake of comparison UniCredit Bulbank’s estimates on the basis of official statistics show that for the same period of last year they were 1.3 million or by 49% less. In terms of the use of credit cards by consumers, purchases in supermarkets are followed by purchases in malls – accounting for 11% of all transaction. They are followed by payments for fuel and household and utility services.

A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CREDIT CARD IN BULGARIA

Made especially for football fans, a MasterCard UEFA credit card branded with the UEFA Champions League logo starts being offered by UniCredit Bulbank. This is the only Champions League card in Bulgaria. There are preferential conditions for the issue of the card and it also provides the opportunity for participation in a special lottery with respect to the most important European football clubs’ competition.

There will be no servicing fee for MasterCard UEFA for the first year. In addition, for all cards bearing the football competition logo and issued by 31 December 2012 there is no monthly interest for POS terminal transactions for the purchase of goods and services from merchant outlets and/ or via Internet. The monthly interest is not charged regardless of the place of the payment – whether it is made in Bulgaria or abroad. For all other transaction there is a preferential monthly interest – 1.33%.

Every third transaction, made by using a MasterCard and/ or Maestro debit or a credit card on a merchant POS terminal or via Internet, is registered once for the client’s participation in a lottery for the distribution of prizes. 3 packages for the eight finals of the UEFA Champions League will be distributed and travel and accommodation expenses will be paid. The package includes two tickets for a football match in the period from 12 February to 13 March 2013.

The big prize for one of UniCredit Bulbank’s clients is a VIP package for the UEFA final in London (25 May 2013), including two tickets for the football match and covering travel and accommodation expenses. The draw of all the winners will be held on 14 January 2013. No ATM and POS cash withdrawals and transfers will be part of the lottery. For each activated MasterCard UEFA credit card clients of the bank will receive a prize – a cup branded with the company logo.

COINS

UniCredit and UEFA Champions League extended their partnership for another three seasons from 2012 to 2015 included. Extending the sponsorship for another three-year cycle, UniCredit will continue to be involved as a brand in the most prestigious European football competition. Since the beginning of the prestigious football championship’s new season UniCredit has become the official bank of UEFA Champions League.

As part of the new sponsorship agreement UniCredit receives the status of a single provider of the Official Referee Coin for the match which will be used by the chief referee for the flipping of the coin before the referee’s whistle for the start of the match. Coins for the matches of the preliminary stages – the group and elimination ones, are silver and those for the final stage – golden. On both sides of the coins there is the UEFA Champions League logo and that of the respective match to be played. The coins have a diameter of up to 3 cm. and weight of 13 grams. They have collector value and after the end of each season they will be offered in special sets to important clients, institutional partners and distinguished employees of UniCredit together with a certificate of authenticity.

More information for media:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity & Communications Department

Viktoria Blajeva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Ekaterina Ancheva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 963, flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Magdalena Ivanova, Phone: + 359 2 9232 528, nbhebmfob/jwbopwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch