ING sells 2,590,000 own shares for employee option hedge

Amsterdam, 21 August 2006

ING Groep N.V. sold 2,590,000 (depositary receipts for) ordinary ING shares on the open market from 15 to 18 August at an average price of EUR 32.97 to adjust its hedge position for employee options.

ING does not issue new shares to cover employee options. Instead, employees receive shares from the delta hedge book, which is maintained to minimise the market risks and price fluctuations that arise from the employee option programmes. The hedge position is adjusted on a quarterly basis during the open period in accordance with regulatory requirements and ING’s policies to prevent market manipulation.

The hedge book currently holds 49.5 million (depositary receipts for) ordinary ING shares, representing 2.2% of the total 2,205 million shares outstanding.

Press enquiries: ING Group
Dorothy Hillenius, +31 20 541 6522, dorothy.hillenius@ing.com

ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management to over 60 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of about 115,000 people, ING comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand.