CHINATRUST FORTIFIES TRADECARD RELATIONSHIP
Bank will sell and market online trade transaction system to customers in several countries

Taipei - October 19, 2000 - Chinatrust Commercial Bank and TradeCard, Inc., whose online network offers an online alternative to traditional trade transaction and settlement methods, announced today that Chinatrust will sell and market TradeCard to their customers in addition to providing multi-country financing in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the United States.

The announcement strengthens the existing TradeCard/Chinatrust alliance announced in August 2000, which established access to Chinatrust's financing services directly through the TradeCard network.

"Chinatrust is committed to providing our customers the most comprehensive suite of e-commerce services available so that they can conduct trade in a quick and profitable way," said Chinatrust VP James J. Hsiu. "Our expanded alliance with TradeCard enables us to offer our customers a cutting-edge online trade transaction system."

Kurt Cavano, Chairman and CEO of TradeCard welcomed the expanded alliance. "Taiwan traders and their trading partners in Hong Kong and the United States have long sought ways to improve the efficiency of their trade transactions: these importers and exporters understand that time is money, and that any inefficiency will cost them. TradeCard's patented technology allows them to make their trades more efficient. Now, together with Chinatrust, we'll be able to reach and service more of these traders and help them make their businesses more profitable."

TradeCard was established to provide a more efficient alternative to traditional paper-based and labor-intensive international trade transaction methods, such as the letter of credit. TradeCard enables international buyers and sellers to discover, order, and approve agreements on its electronic transaction platform. TradeCard's patented compliance engine checks that actual shipment data matches the original purchase order data provided by the seller, including deliveries, insurance and certification requirements. Once compliance of the transaction is met, funds are electronically transferred from the buyer's account to the seller's account.

How TradeCard Works
In order to use TradeCard's patented transaction system, buyers and sellers must first become approved TradeCard members. To begin a transaction, the buyer creates an electronic purchase order in one of three ways: through the TradeCard system using its contract templates, via electronic file from a company's ERP system, or from an online marketplace. TradeCard then notifies the seller that there is a purchase order pending for review. The buyer and seller can further negotiate the purchase order online. Once they agree to the terms, both buyer and seller authorize the purchase order with digital signatures.

TradeCard stores the approved purchase order in its secure, proprietary database. Once the packing list and invoice have been created and authenticated by the seller, an assurance of payment is attached to the purchase order, confirming the amount of coverage on the shipment, and ensuring that the seller will receive payment upon compliance up to the assured amount. TradeCard's patented compliance engine then electronically compares the data from the electronically submitted shipping documents to the original purchase order. If discrepancies are identified, the buyer and seller can negotiate them online. Once compliance is met, payment is transferred electronically from the buyer's financial institution to the seller's financial institution.

In addition to these core transaction features, TradeCard members can contract for pre- and post-export financing, inspection services, cargo insurance and other value-added services.

About TradeCard
TradeCard is a business-to-business e-commerce infrastructure that enables buyers and sellers to initiate, conduct and settle international trade transactions securely over the Internet. By aggregating buyers, sellers and disparate trade service providers, our patented solution automates and streamlines existing international trade transaction processes, which are complex, paper-based, time-consuming and expensive. Our objective is to provide a secure, reliable, cost-effective and easy-to-use solution for conducting and settling international trade transactions.

TradeCard, Inc. is headquartered in New York City with U.S. offices in San Francisco, San Diego and Chicago, and Asian offices in Hong Kong and Taiwan. TradeCard can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.tradecard.com.

About Chinatrust Commercial Bank
Chinatrust Commercial Bank, the former China Securities Investment Corporation established in 1966, went through two organizational transformations; in 1971 the company was reorganized as the China Investment & Trust Company and in 1992 established as Chinatrust Commercial Bank. The financial institute's growth represents its continuous efforts to pursue innovation and to strive at providing customers with ever better financial services.

Outstanding service is the key concept of Chinatrust Commercial Bank. We would like to grow with our customers, become their life-long friend and make our services indispensable to them. As the financial environment grows more and more competitive, not only have we consistently added new branches (there are currently 48 branches available in Taiwan), but have also pioneered the first "24 Hour Automatic Service Center" in Taiwan. Chinatrust Commercial Bank's service is available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

In addition, Chinatrust Commercial Bank is actively devoted to the "Home Banking" business, which includes its Voice Response System. As a recent addition to our service portfolio, e-banking now offers another innovative way to service our customers right in their homes.

In order to cope well with Taiwan's financial liberalization and internationalization, we have moved our headquarters to Hsin-Yi District, the future location of Taiwan's international financial center. We are also vigorously increasing our global network by building our presence in major financial areas where overseas Chinese reside densely. With all these efforts, we are moving ahead to become the "global Chinese bank" and one of the top 100 banks in the world. We can be found on the World Wide Web at www.chinatrust.com.tw.

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This press release contains a number of matters that constitute forward-looking statements. The presentation reflects the current views of TradeCard's management with respect to future events and is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements.