- Distinctive notches on the Touch Card enable blind and partially sighted folks to simply distinguish card
DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Mastercard and Ajman Bank have strengthened their dedication to inclusion by way of a brand new initiative designed to broaden entry to the digital economy. The world-first Touch Card is an accessible fee card that may enable blind and partially sighted folks to simply facilitate funds and distinguish between their playing cards.

There are few efficient methods for many who are blind or who’ve lowered imaginative and prescient to shortly decide whether or not they’re holding a credit score, debit, or pay as you go card, notably as extra playing cards transfer to flat designs with out embossed names and numbers. Mastercard is addressing this problem with a easy innovation and has launched a system of notches on the aspect of the cardboard to assist shoppers use the precise card, the precise means.
“At Ajman Bank inclusion is an integral aspect of our corporate culture and social responsibility. Innovation has the power to change the world for the better. We are delighted to partner with Mastercard to be the first movers to help drive this innovative solution that will help us to respond to everyone’s needs. For visually impaired customers, selecting the right card can very often be a challenging experience. Touch Card allows consumers to quickly distinguish which card they are using through the three distinct notches. We’ve always appreciated Mastercard’s vision for thinking of new ways to innovate and do things differently to serve more people,” mentioned Mohamed Amiri, Chief Executive Officer, Ajman Bank.
Moza Al Akraf Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Community Development mentioned: “Accessibility is a human right and this latest initiative by Mastercard will open new possibilities for the inclusion of individuals with visual impairment into the digital economy. Ajman Bank’s collaboration with Mastercard will make daily life easier for a lot of people. It aligns with UAE’s social and community goals to promote an inclusive environment for everyone by tapping into the infinite power and potential of technology to enrich people’s wellbeing regardless of their capabilities.”
“This initiative is taking inclusion to the next level as we look to promote accessibility in new and meaningful ways. This world-first collaboration with Ajman Bank to introduce the Mastercard Touch Card will offer a greater level of independence and security to blind and partially sighted individuals across the UAE,” shared Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer and President of Healthcare, Mastercard.
The Touch Card has been designed to work with point-of-sale terminals and ATMs, making certain they are often deployed at scale – the bank cards have a squarish notch; debit playing cards have a rounded notch; and pay as you go playing cards have a triangular notch. As nicely as blind and partially sighted shoppers, anybody in a low-light setting or reaching right into a pockets or purse one-handed can profit from the Touch Card design.
The Ajman Bank Touch Card additional affords advantages to go well with every cardholder’s distinctive wants, together with money again advantages of up to 10 per cent that may be chosen from across 4 classes: gas, on-line spend, groceries and faculty charges.
According to the most recent obtainable knowledge, 15% of the worldwide inhabitants expertise some type of incapacity, constituting the most important minority group on the earth. The World Health Organization estimates that, globally, at the least 2.2 billion folks have sight issues. A current Mastercard examine, Bridging the Disability Gap: An Opportunity to Make a Positive Impact, revealed that digital inclusion is the pathway to monetary inclusion for individuals with disabilities. It highlights that there’s a clear alternative for the business to work collaboratively to make a optimistic affect on the lives of thousands and thousands of individuals around the globe.
Mastercard’s idea has been vetted and endorsed by The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) within the UK and VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired within the US. The card was co-designed by IDEMIA, the worldwide chief in Augmented Identity, offering trusted options within the bodily in addition to digital area.
Notes to the editor:
The Touch Card has acquired a number of recognitions for its progressive idea and design, particularly:
- Touch Card was named a finalist in Fast Company’s prestigious World Changing Ideas Awards within the “General Excellence” class
- The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) honored Touch Card as a finalist within the “Design for Everyone” class of their annual awards program
- Disability:IN awarded the 2022 Marketplace Innovator of the Year Award to Mastercard for Touch Card
- Touch Card received two Silver and 1 Bronze on the Cannes Lions Awards
- Earlier this 12 months, the cardboard design itself was named a finalist on the International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) Elan Awards
About Mastercard
Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, Mastercard is a worldwide know-how firm within the funds business. Our mission is to join and energy an inclusive, digital economy that advantages everybody, all over the place by making transactions secure, easy, sensible, and accessible. Using safe knowledge and networks, partnerships and fervour, our improvements and options assist people, monetary establishments, governments, and companies notice their best potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our tradition and every little thing we do inside and out of doors of our firm. With connections across greater than 210 nations and territories, we’re constructing a sustainable world that unlocks priceless prospects for all.
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