Amsterdam, Dubai and Dhaka - 11 November 2024: VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a global digital operator, announces that Banglalink, its digital operator in Bangladesh, has launched RYZE, a comprehensive digital lifestyle app tailored to engage Bangladesh’s emerging generation featuring AI-powered personalization.

Over 48% of Bangladesh’s 175 million people are under the age of 25, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. As a digital operator providing mobile connectivity and a portfolio of connected digital services, Banglalink recognises this untapped potential and has launched RYZE as an all-encompassing package designed to facilitate the digital lifestyles of young Bangladeshis.

RYZE is available to all mobile users across any network. It includes a prepaid package powered by AI recommendation tools that offers resources for skill development, highly personalised entertainment packages and tailored loyalty and rewards packages.

"RYZE exemplifies our commitment to empowering the youthful communities we serve through seamless digital solutions that meet the unique needs of the next generation,” explains Erik Aas, CEO of Banglalink. “By integrating AI-driven features, RYZE delivers a comprehensive lifestyle experience from skill development to entertainment ensuring it resonates with the digital-first generation. At Banglalink we are proud to continually champion digital inclusion and provide the foundations for dynamic, digital led economic growth.”

RYZE’s launch sees it join the growing roster of VEON’s digital-first lifestyle apps. ROX in Pakistan, IZI in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as OQ in Uzbekistan are all pioneering digital-first brands that supports VEON’s online services strategy across the frontier markets where it operates.

Through its digital operators, VEON Group offers a variety of products and initiatives across entertainment, financial services, digital health and education. VEON’s Digital Operators serve 160 million connectivity customers and a total base of 110 million total monthly active users across its proprietary digital products and services such as Toffee, Tamasha, BeeTV, KyivstarTV, Simosa, myBL, JazzCash, Simply, Izi, BeeCloud and Helsi. In the first half of 2024, direct revenues from digital services represented more than 10% of VEON Group’s total revenues.

About Banglalink:
Banglalink is one of the leading digital communications service providers in Bangladesh. As of August 2024, Banglalink serves 41.3 million mobile subscribers and 20.8 million digital subscribers every month transforming lives through technology. Banglalink’s digital offerings include Toffee, the country’s leading digital entertainment platform and MyBanglalink, a pioneering super app. For more information visit: https://www.banglalink.net