BinckBank acquires Alex to create a leading full-service online bank for investors

* Strategic acquisition results in the largest independent full-service online broker in The Netherlands with a top 5 European position * Acquisition consideration of ¤390 million[1] in cash * Financing of the acquisition through a ¤385[2] million fully underwritten rights issue and existing cash resources * Combined activities are expected to lead to substantial business benefits and synergies of approximately ¤18 to ¤20 million (pre tax) per annum as per 2010 * Tax benefit from the amortisation of Fiscal Goodwill for an envisaged period of 10 years resulting in an expected annual tax saving of approximately ¤10 million * Acquisition expected to be accretive on an adjusted earnings per share ("EPS") basis as per 2008 * Binck and Alex will continue to exist as separate labels Three largest shareholders and founding Management Board members, together holding 38.7% of BinckBank's share capital, have irrevocably committed themselves to vote in favour of the acquisition [1] Based on the expected net asset value of Alex on the closing date of the acquisition of ¤3.0 million. [2] Based on the expected net asset value of Alex and on the expected amount of required capital for the combination on the closing date of the acquisition.