DGAP-News: JDC Group AG

JDC Group launches Blockchain Lab

- JDC aims to explore the utilization and application of Blockchain technology in the insurance industry

- Bringing the benefits of Blockchain to customers and IFAs

- Whitepaper will be published at www.jdc-b-lab.com in late January 2018

"Using the power of Blockchain technology for building customer-focused insurance and financial products while driving smart life, health and financial decisions by individuals and organizations." With this mission statement, publicly traded company JDC Group (ISIN: DE000A0B9N37; Bloomberg: A8A. GR) is launching the third phase of its digitisation strategy: Having established the IFA and an end-client digital wallet allesmeins as well as the acquisition of the online comparison plattform Geld.de, the launch of the Blockchain lab marks the next step in JDC Group's evolution into the leading process and service platform for insurance, investment funds and other standard financial products.

Blockchain is a comparatively new technology that uses a chain of encrypted data sets (blocks) on decentralised computers to facilitate transactions directly between parties to a contract.

Its advantages include the elimination of transaction costs and transaction times as well as the so-called inter-operability of data, which enhances the value of information by intelligently linking data together. In addition, the high cryptographic standard employed by emerging Blockchain technology makes it significantly more secure than other types of transactions currently used by businesses. Blockchain therefore has the potential to start a fundamental revolutionary change to the financial and insurance market, just as the broad-scale introduction of the internet did almost 20 years ago.

"As the leading service provider for transaction processing technology with probably the greatest number of interfaces with product providers/data sources in the German-speaking financial and insurance market, along with 16,000 brokers and 1.3 million clients, JDC Group is predestined to be the first to professionally utilise Blockchain technology to achieve a breakthrough in client relations," says Dr. Sebastian Grabmaier, CEO at JDC Group AG, in commenting on the newly formed Blockchain lab. "Our focus faces the satisfaction of our private and business clients, who will be able to decide for themselves whether and how their data is used."

Stefan Bachmann, who joined the company after leaving Google and who was named to the JDC Group's executive board this past summer, will be in charge of the Blockchain lab strategy and will work with one of his own team of experts and consultants on its continuing development. "We are consciously positioning ourselves with an emphasis on Blockchain technology and steering clear of the Bitcoin hype," Bachmann explained in an initial statement. "With the IT solutions we currently have in place, our modern transaction processing infrastructure and the current project team, we are excellently positioned in the value chain to help smart contracts and related product designs based on Blockchain technology achieve a breakthrough in the insurance and investment sector."

As part of this aim, JDC Group today announced the formation of the subsidiary JDC B-LAB GmbH in Triesen, Liechtenstein. The financial hub of Liechtenstein offers an ideal location for innovative business models based on Blockchain technologies, as it is one of the first countries in the world to introduce a working crypto statute.

Go to www.jdc-b-lab.com to register for upcoming information. In late January 2018, JDC Group will release a whitepaper that will provide more detailed information about the company's strategy and invite all those interested in the development of Blockchain technologies to participate in a wide-ranging discussion.

Moreover, at the turn of the year, Mr. Ralf Funke took over the responsibility for the area of ​​investor relations at the JDC Group. The former Interim Manager, Ingo Middelmenne, will dedicate himself to new tasks and will continue to work for the JDC Group in an advisory capacity.

Further information on JDC Group AG are available at www.jdcgroup.de.

About JDC Group AG

JDC Group AG (ISIN: DE000A0B9N37) stands for modern financial advice and intelligent financial technology for advisors and customers. In the "Advisortech" business unit, we provide our customers and advisors with modern advisory and administration technology using the Jung, DMS & Cie. Groups. While many sales and distribution partners perceive the technological transformation as a problem and the young Fintech companies as the new competitors, we perceive the "technology" factor to be a great opportunity. Solutions from the "Advisortech" business unit will help advisors in the future to take even better care of their customers and generate increased sales in their earnings. In the "Advisory" segment, we procure financial products for private end customers via free advisors, brokers and financial distributors using the FiNUM Group. With over 16,000 connected sales partners, a portfolio of more than EUR 4.5 billion and over EUR 1.4 billion in product sales each year, we are one of the market leaders in the German-speaking region.

Disclaimer:

The Directors of JDC Group AG hold a significant participating interest in JDC Group AG and have a self-interest in the nature and content of the information provided in this release.