YEREVAN, March 5, /ARKA/. Today Byblos Bank Armenia cjsc was registered as a Member at NASDAQ OMX Armenia and granted the right to participate in all the markets of the Exchange. Since 2009 Byblos Bank Armenia, being market participant, participated in foreign currency market of the Exchange, lateron in 2010 the Bank joined credit resources market of NASDAQ OMX Armenia. From now on Byblos Bank Armenia, as a member of NASDAQ OMX Armenia, will operate on all the markets of the Exchange.

"Byblos Bank Armenia” cjsc is the legal successor of “ITB” International Trade Bank”. The bank started its activity in Armenia in 1992 and operates under the CBA license N 72. In April, 2000, the Bank was acquired by foreign companies, which later on joined the Makarios Group Holding. In 2007, 100% of the bank ownership was acquired by one of the major Lebanese banks, "Byblos Bank” S. A. L, which operates in France, Belgium, England, Syria, Iraq, Cyprus, Sudan and other countries. In 2008, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) acquired ownership at "Byblos Bank Armenia” cjsc as follows: EBRD – 25%+1 share, OFID – 10%.

As of today overall 32 banks and investment companies are members and market participants at NASDAQ OMX Armenia, of which 26 are members, while the rest 6 are market participants.

In January 2008, Nordic exchange operator OMX Group acquired 100% of shares of the Armenian Stock Exchange (Armex) and the Central Depository of Armenia (CDA). After the combination of NASDAQ and OMX in February 2008, Armex and CDA have become fully owned by the NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc On January 27, 2009, “Armenian Stock Exchange” ojsc was officially renamed as “NASDAQ OMX Armenia” ojsc. On June 5, 2009, “NASDAQ OMX Armenia” ojsc became the owner of 100% of the shares of the “Central Depository of Armenia” ojsc. -0-