NEW YORK, May 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/128054/quote) (OTCQX: OTCM), the company that operates the world's largest electronic marketplace for broker-dealers to trade unlisted stocks, announced today that Danone (http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/DANOY/quote) (OTCQX: DANOY) has joined OTCQX(R), the highest tier of the U.S. OTC market. The addition of Danone marks a significant milestone, as OTCQX reaches 200 companies. With a combined market capitalization exceeding $1 Trillion, OTCQX offers investors exciting investment opportunities with companies ranging from smaller U.S. entrepreneurial businesses to global leaders.

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"Danone is an elite organization that belongs on the premier tier of our marketplace, where companies provide the highest quality disclosure to U.S. investors," said R. Cromwell Coulson, President and Chief Executive Office of OTC Markets Group. "We are pleased to welcome Danone as our 200th OTCQX company."

Danone, an international leader in the food and beverage sector, chose to trade its American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) on OTCQX International Premier to better serve their existing and potential U.S. investors by providing easier access to their financial disclosure and increased trading transparency.

Today, OTCQX stands 200 companies strong with a combined market capitalization over $1 Trillion. The OTCQX tier has grown from 108 to 200 companies over the previous 12 months, adding global powerhouses such as AXA, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Telekom AG, Repsol, and Zurich Financial Services Ltd., as well as 70 TSX-listed Canadian companies and a number of entrepreneurial U.S. companies. Equally impressive has been the growth of the OTCQX Designated Advisor for Disclosure/Principal American Liaison ("DAD/PAL") advisor community. Today, OTCQX companies have access to a diverse pool of competing Investment Banks, DR Banks, and Attorneys to choose from to meet their unique advisory needs.

"We'd like to thank our first 200 OTCQX companies for sharing our vision of a superior platform for OTC companies to provide their investors with high quality information in an efficient manner," stated Coulson. "OTCQX has become the most successful innovation for OTC companies since NASDAQ was founded 40 years ago. The rapid growth of OTCQX has proven the need for a transparent and trusted alternative to the traditional U.S. exchange model."

OTCQX represents nearly 5 times the market cap of LSE AIM and the TSX Venture combined, demonstrating its position as a leading competitor in the global alternative marketplace space. In 2010, OTCQX was the leader among alternative or entry level markets, by average dollar volume per security. This indicates a compelling demand for quality companies that provide transparency to U.S. investors through financial disclosure.

    
                    # of Securities     2010 Dollar     Avg. Dollar
                    at December 31,       Volume        Volume per   
    Marketplace          2010             (000'S)        Security
    -----------     ---------------     -----------     -----------
 
    OTCQX                       159     $15,267,394     $96,021,346
    LSE AIM                   1,194      50,605,800      42,383,417
    OTC Pink                  5,954      95,736,805      16,079,410
    TSX Venture               2,376      34,350,300      14,457,197
    OTCBB                     2,896      19,716,810       6,808,291

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/128054/quote) (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the world's largest electronic marketplace for broker-dealers to trade unlisted stocks. Our OTC Link(TM) platform supports an open network of competing broker-dealers that provide investors with the best prices in over 10,000 OTC securities. In 2010, securities on OTC Link traded over $144 billion in dollar volume, making it the third largest U.S. equity trading venue after NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange. We categorize the wide spectrum of OTC-traded companies into three tiers - OTCQX (the quality-controlled marketplace for investor friendly companies), OTCQB(R) (the U.S. reporting company marketplace for development stage companies), and OTC Pink(TM) (the speculative trading marketplace) - so investors can identify the level and quality of information companies provide. To learn more about how OTC Markets Group makes the unlisted markets more transparent, informed, and efficient, visit http://www.otcmarkets.com.

About Danone

One of the fastest-growing food companies in the world, Danone is present in over 120 countries on five continents. Its mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible. In 2010 Danone had more than 160 production plants and around 100,000 employees, generating sales of euro 17 billion, of which half were in emerging markets. The group holds top positions in healthy food through four businesses: it ranks no. 1 worldwide in Fresh Dairy Products, no. 2 in Bottled Water and Baby Nutrition, and is Europe's no. 1 Medical Nutrition company. Listed on Euronext Paris, Danone is a component stock of leading social responsibility indexes including the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes DJSI Stoxx and DJSI World, ASPI Eurozone and the Ethibel Sustainability Index.

SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.