Access to China UnionPay Cardholders Attracted $10 Billion Bank
HOUSTON and SAN FRANCISCO – PULSE EFT Association's U.S. card acceptance agreement with China UnionPay, China's only payments network, was a critical factor in earning the business of United Commercial Bank, one of the country's largest Chinese-American financial institutions.
United Commercial Bank, a $10 billion U.S. bank serving the Chinese-American community and American companies doing business in Greater China, has joined PULSE, an ATM/debit network serving more than 4,400 financial institutions across the U.S.
“Becoming a PULSE participant was a strategic decision for United Commercial Bank because of the network's leading position among U.S. debit networks and its acceptance agreement with China UnionPay,” said David Wang, senior vice president and director of Business Banking.
PULSE and its parent company, Discover Financial Services, signed an agreement with China UnionPay (CUP) in 2005 that led to acceptance of CUP cards on the PULSE network in the U.S., as well as acceptance of Discover® Network cards on the CUP network in China.
“United Commercial Bank is working with China UnionPay to deploy ATM terminals in areas of the U.S. with high Chinese populations,” said Wang. “Joining the only U.S. ATM and PIN debit network that accepts CUP cards solidifies our relationship with China UnionPay by giving CUP cardholders convenient access to U.S. ATMs and PIN debit transactions at the point of sale when they visit the U.S.”
“Adding United Commercial Bank to the rapidly growing list of PULSE participants on the West Coast is a testament to the value and service we deliver to financial institutions through innovative products and services, including our relationships with strategic international networks,” said Leah Henderson, PULSE executive vice president. “Our acceptance agreement with CUP helps us better serve institutions such as UCB that are looking to strengthen their connections with the Chinese market and better serve Chinese tourists and business travelers.”
United Commercial Bank has 50 branches and offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as Sacramento, Stockton, and Los Angeles and Orange counties; five branches in New York; five in metropolitan Atlanta; three in New England; two in the Pacific Northwest; one in Houston; one in Hong Kong; and representative offices in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Taipei.
The PULSE network encompasses nearly 260,000 ATMs, as well as point-of-sale terminals at retail locations nationwide.
About UCBH Holdings, Inc.
UCBH Holdings, Inc. is the holding company for United Commercial Bank, a state-chartered commercial bank, which is the leading bank in the United States serving the Chinese community and American companies doing business in Greater China. With $10.35 billion in assets as of December 31, 2006, the Bank has 50 California branches/offices located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Stockton, Los Angeles and Orange counties, five branches in New York, five branches in metropolitan Atlanta, three branches in New England, two branches in the Pacific Northwest, a branch in Houston, a branch in Hong Kong, and representative offices in Shanghai and Shenzhen, China and Taipei, Taiwan. UCB, with headquarters in San Francisco, provides commercial banking services to small- and medium-sized businesses and professionals in a variety of industries, as well as consumer and private banking services to individuals. The Bank offers a full range of lending activities, including commercial real estate and construction loans, commercial credit facilities, international trade finance, cash management, private client services, loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and online banking services for businesses and consumers. For additional information, visit the web site for United Commercial Bank at www.ibankUNITED.com or the web site for UCBH Holdings, Inc. at www.ucbh.com.
About PULSE EFT Association LP
PULSE is one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks, currently serving more than 4,400 banks, credit unions and savings institutions across the country. PULSE is owned by Discover Financial Services LLC, a business unit of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS). The network links cardholders with nearly 260,000 ATMs, as well as POS terminals at retail locations nationwide. The company is also a valued resource for consumer research related to electronic payments and is committed to providing its participants with education on evolving products, services and trends in the payments industry. For more information, visit www.pulse-eft.com.
Contacts:
Anne Rhodes
PULSE EFT Association
(800) 420-2122
Sandy Yang
United Commercial Bank
(415) 315-3111