Blackhawk Network Partners With Barclays To Bring Pingit Customers eGift Options

--Mobile Payments Service In UK Offering eGifting Capabilities

LONDON, Aug. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackhawk Network (NASDAQ: HAWK and HAWKB), a leading prepaid and payments network, today announced a partnership with Barclays Bank PLC, one of the leading UK banks, to launch a wide range of eGifts onto its Pingit mobile banking service including entertainment, dining, gaming, fashion, health and beauty and leisure brands available to purchase as a gift or for self-use. The launch on Android and iOS device applications is scheduled for later this month.    

Originally launched in early 2012, Barclays Pingit was Europe's first free service for sending and receiving money using only mobile phone numbers. It allows anyone over 16 years old to make speedy payments using just a mobile number. The service is connected to the bank accounts of Barclays customers, who in turn are able to send and receive funds. For non-Barclays customers, a digital wallet is created so easy payments, top-ups and withdrawals can be made.

For its eGift proposition, Pingit utilises the latest cloud-based environments and dynamic wallet capabilities to deliver a fresh and innovative eGifting solution. The free service, available to UK consumers regardless of whether they have an account with the bank, has proven to be a popular mechanism for sending money to friends and family as well as small business and individual traders, who can receive payments from customers quickly, easily and securely.

"Gifting through mCommerce is a leap forward for the payments market. For businesses, e-gifting is a cost-effective way to acquire new customers and maximize incremental spend," said Matthew Howe, managing director, Europe at Blackhawk Network. "For consumers, the ability to purchase and send gift cards across digital channels provides far greater ease and convenience than having to make a trip to a particular merchant to purchase a physical gift card."

Available with top entertainment, fashion, dining and digital content brands, Blackhawk Network's gift card solutions benefit merchants by offering a broader customer acquisition channel, greater opportunity for incremental sales and the increased intelligence facilitated by easier customer data capture.  

For more information about Blackhawk Network, visit www.blackhawknetwork.com.

About Blackhawk Network
Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAWK and HAWKB) is a leading prepaid and payments network, which supports the program management and distribution of gift cards, prepaid telecom products and financial service products across a global network. Blackhawk's digital platform supports prepaid across a network of digital distribution partners including retailers, financial service providers, and mobile wallets. For more information please, visit www.blackhawknetwork.com.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are indicated by words or phrases such as "guidance," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "plans," "continuing," "ongoing," and similar words or phrases and the negative of such words and phrases. Forward-looking statements are based on our current plans and expectations and involve risks and uncertainties which are, in many instances, beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in or contemplated or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include the following: our ability to obtain additional retailer e-products for the Pingit mobile banking service and the possibility that we may not be able to implement additional features, and our reliance on our content providers, the demand for their products and our exclusivity arrangements with them, the requirement that we comply with applicable laws and regulations, including increasingly stringent money-laundering rules and regulations, and other risks and uncertainties described in our reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risks and uncertainties set forth in Item 1A under the heading Risk Factors in our recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.  We undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect developments or information obtained after the date hereof and disclaim any obligation to do so.