Grant of Options

For immediate release

Optimal Payments Plc

Grant of Options

Monday 21 January 2013 - Optimal Payments Plc (the "Company") announces that it has made certain grants under the Optimal Payments Plc Employee Share Option Schemes.

On 18 January 2013 the Company granted a total of 720,750 options to eligible employees over the Company's ordinary shares of 0.01 pence. The options were granted under the two share options plans operated by the Company as follows:

·; A total of 586,250 options were granted under the Optimal Payments Plc Share Option Plan (the "Unapproved Plan").

·; A further 134,500 options were granted under the UK-approved Optimal Payments Plc Approved Share Option Plan (the "Approved Plan").

The options granted under both the Unapproved Plan and the Approved Plan have an exercise price of 121.08 pence, being the average of the mid-closing price of the Company's shares for the three trading days prior to 18 January 2013.

The period during which these options can be exercised is as follows:

Under the Unapproved Plan:

·; 586,250 options have a grant period of 3½ years from 18 January 2013, having a single vesting date on 18 January 2016, on which date all of the options granted vest. These options expire on 18 July 2016 and the last date for exercise is therefore 17 July 2016.

Under the Approved Plan:

·; 134,500 options have a grant period of 3½ years from 18 January 2013, having a single vesting date on 18 January 2016, on which date all of the options granted vest. These options expire on 18 July 2016 and the last date for exercise is therefore 17 July 2016.

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In accordance with the Unapproved Plan rules and with the Approved Plan rules, eligible employees have until 28 February 2013 to accept their respective option grants, following which a further announcement will be made confirming the number of options granted in total. Any options which are not accepted by the above date will lapse. No grants were made to any Directors of the Company.

As at 18 January 2013, the Company has 136,278,701 ordinary shares in issue.

For further information contact:

Optimal Payments Plc

Andrew Gilchrist EVP Corporate Affairs + 44 (0) 203 544 7250

Email: [email protected]

Canaccord Genuity + 44 (0) 207 523 8000

Simon Bridges

Cameron Duncan