HSBC Merchant Services Declared Preferred Supplier To 7,000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

LONDON, December 22 - HSBC Merchant Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Global Payments Inc.
(NYSE: GPN), announced today that it has been appointed as the preferred
supplier of card processing solutions to the 7,000 SMEs that make up the
newly merged BHF-BSSA Group Trade Association.

(Logo: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010221/ATW031LOGO )

The new group, which was created from the British Shops & Stores
Association (bssa) and the British Hardware Federation (BHF Group) trade
bodies, appointed HSBC Merchant Services after carefully evaluating potential
providers for quality, service and value.

HSBC Merchant Services will now offer a full range of card payment
services to the combined membership, enabling independent high street
merchants to take advantage of rates and offerings normally reserved for much
larger organisations.

"With their track record of quality service to the old bssa, HSBC
Merchant Services was the obvious choice to appoint as our preferred
supplier," said Alan Hawkins, Chief Executive of the BHF-BSSA group, "and we
look forward to working with them into the future."

Darren Wilson, President of HSBC Merchant Services, added, "HSBC Merchant
Services already processes card transactions for approximately 3,000 heritage
BSSA members, and we are proud to have been chosen to offer our full suite of
terminals, products and services to every single member of the new group."

About HSBC Merchant Services

HSBC Merchant Services, one of the UK's largest card processing
providers, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Global Payments Inc. As part of
the world's 6th largest payment processing company, and working together with
HSBC Bank plc in an exclusive marketing alliance, HSBC Merchant Services
draws on a combined industry experience of over fifty years. This, coupled
with award-winning antifraud processes and a commitment to invest in
innovation, has led to the development of some of the most secure and best
value products and services in the industry. HSBC Merchant Services LLP is a
limited liability partnership registered in England, with a head office in
Leicester and offices in London and Sheffield.

    Contacts

    For any press queries please contact:
    Sarah Golden
    Marketing Director, BHF-BSSA Group Trade Association
    E: sarahgolden@bhfgroup.co.uk
    T: 0121-446-6688

    Or

    Siobhon Watson
    Head of Marketing, HSBC Merchant Services
    E: enquiries.hms@hsbc.com
    T: 020-7992-5001

Sarah Golden, Marketing Director, BHF-BSSA Group Trade Association, E: sarahgolden at bhfgroup.co.uk, T: 0121-446-6688 or Siobhon Watson, Head of Marketing, HSBC Merchant Services, E: enquiries.hms at hsbc.com, T: 020-7992-5001