Pre Close Trading Update

RNS Number:2416U
Datacash Group PLC
15 January 2004





                DataCash Group Plc ('DataCash' or 'the Company')
                            PRE-CLOSE TRADING UPDATE



The Directors of DataCash Group Plc, the AIM listed payments service provider,
are pleased to announce a pre-close trading statement for the year ended 31
December 2003.


*    This has been a good year for DataCash.  The Group achieved
pre-tax (pre-goodwill amortisation) profits for 2003 in excess of #700,000
compared to a 2002 loss of #391,000. Year-end cash balances more than doubled
from the #666,000 at December 31st 2002.


*    Transaction growth was impressive, particularly in the fourth
quarter, reflecting a number of new contracts with high street retailers and the
general growth in on-line retailing.


*    Statistics from the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG)
suggest on-line retailing is growing at an annual rate of 44% compared with an
increase of just 0.6% in traditional retailing.


*    DataCash customers have seen transaction growth in excess of
those statistics and the Company is now processing payments with a monthly value
of more than #200m on behalf of its clients.


*    DataCash believes that there should be continued growth in 2004
helped by a variety of factors including the improved quality of retail
websites, the growing acceptability of the convenience, security and reliability
of on-line purchasing together with the growing penetration of Broadband
services.


*    DataCash is well positioned to benefit from the growth in
on-line trading and has achieved the notable success of being the first UK
Payment Service Provider to process a 3D-Secure transaction (3D-Secure is the
protocol promoted by both MasterCard and Visa to mirror the High Street's Chip
and PIN initiative)


*    As reported in the interim statement, the Company is progressing
opportunities in the "cardholder present" high street retail market. All
retailers with physical stores (rather than on-line retailers) are reviewing
their payment processing requirements as a result of the bank mandated
introduction of Chip and PIN in January 2005.


*    There was no revenue for DataCash from card holder present
transactions in 2003 and it is unlikely to make a material contribution in 2004.
However, it is exploring a number of opportunities that could provide
significant additional revenues and profits from the high street in the medium
term.


*    The DataCash infrastructure is capable of handling far greater
volumes of transactions with only a modest increase in overheads. Capturing more
business to exploit this capacity presents opportunities for future growth in
2004. The Directors look forward to the challenge with confidence.


*    The Company expect to report final figures towards the end of March.



                                  * * ENDS * *



Issued on behalf of DataCash Group Plc by St Brides Media & Finance Ltd, 46
Bedford Row, London WC1R 4LR.

Contacts:

David Bailey                         DataCash         Tel: [phone]
Cliff Feltham/Isabel Crossley        St Brides        Tel: [phone]



Note to editors:

*    DataCash provides the electronic services, by which merchants
can accept, authorise and settle transactions made by a variety of financial
instruments such as cards and direct debts.

*    The Company has been listed on AIM since 1996 and last June
changed its name from Auxinet plc to DataCash Group plc to reflect the fact that
it is now purely focused on payments processing.








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