Innovative solution debuts in partnership with Antone's Nightclub at the Austin Blues Festival

New programmable card-issuing platform transforms siloed gift programs into unified, brand-extending commerce ecosystems.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, April 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Usio, Inc. (NASDAQ:USIO), a leading a leading provider of integrated, cloud-based electronic payment and embedded financial solution, today announced the launch of its new Private-Label Gift Card platform. The platform allows businesses to offer branded gift cards that can be used across locations, point-of-sale (POS) systems and payment processors by leveraging traditional payment networks and enabling precise control over where the card can be used.

Usio debuted the platform in collaboration with the iconic Austin-based Antone's Nightclub, a premier venue and co-host of the Austin Blues Festival. As a long-standing sponsor of the festival, Usio selected the event to showcase how its programmable, merchant-controlled technology solves the payment system fragmentation common in modern retail and entertainment commerce.

"Antone's is widely regarded as the birthplace of the Austin blues scene and helped cement the city's reputation as the ‘Live Music Capital of the World'," said Houston Frost, Chief Product Officer of Usio. "They are the ideal partner to showcase the capabilities of the private-label gift card solution because they operate multiple disparate point-of-sale platforms including ticketing, food and beverage, and retail. Because these channels use multiple payment systems, Antone's was unable to offer a single gift card that could be used for all products and services, an inherent limitation of traditional, platform-bound solutions. We're proud to partner with Antone's Nightclub to deliver a unified payment experience that keeps the brand front and center while giving consumers the convenience they expect."

Usio's Private-Label Gift Card leverages traditional payment networks and payments can be processed through any system that accepts major debit and credit card brands. Usio's proprietary merchant control engine enables partners to restrict card purchases to specific merchant(s) and/or terminal(s), delivering a flexible, programmable gift card solution. This omnichannel platform functions across physical stores, online storefronts, and the gift cards can even be added to major mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay. The platform is designed to serve a wide range of industries, including Hospitality & Entertainment, Fitness & Wellness, Education, Retail, Travel, and Digital Economies.

To learn more please visit https://usio.com/antones/.

About Usio, Inc.

Usio, Inc. (Nasdaq: USIO), a leading, cloud-based, integrated FinTech electronic payment solutions provider, offers a wide range of payment solutions to merchants, billers, banks, service bureaus, integrated software vendors and card issuers. The Company operates credit, debit/prepaid, and ACH payment processing platforms to deliver convenient, world-class payment solutions and services clients through its unique payment facilitation platform as a service. The company, through its Usio Output Solutions division, offers services relating to electronic bill presentment, document composition, document decomposition and printing and mailing services. The strength of the Company lies in its ability to provide tailored solutions for card issuance, payment acceptance, and bill payments as well as its unique technology in the card issuing sector.

Usio is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, and has offices in Austin, Texas. Websites: www.usio.com, www.payfacinabox.com, www.akimbocard.com and www.usiooutput.com. Find us on Facebook® and Twitter.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS DISCLAIMER

Except for the historical information contained herein, this release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbors provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding management's intentions, beliefs, expectations, and strategies for the future, including statements regarding the Company's operating and growth strategies. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "intend," "look forward," "anticipate," "schedule," and "expect," and similar expressions.

These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company's business that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, risk relating to economic conditions, including effects related to the COVID-19 pandemic; the realization of anticipated benefits from the PostCredit acquisition; the Company's ability to manage growth; the loss of key resellers; relationships with the Automated Clearing House network, bank sponsors, third-party card processing providers, and merchants; the security of the Company's software, hardware, and information systems; volatility in the Company's stock price; the need for additional financing; risks associated with new tax legislation; and compliance with complex federal, state, and local laws and regulations, as well as other risks described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025.

One or more of these factors have affected, and in the future, could affect, the Company's businesses and financial results and could cause actual results to differ materially from management's plans and projections. Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such statements which speak on as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward‑looking statements, except as required by law.

Contact:

Investor Relations

Paul Manley, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations

paul.manley@usio.com

612-834-1804

Media Relations

Jessica Starman

media@usio.com

Usio Launches New Private-Label Gift Card Platform