UniCredit switches to Mastercard Touch Card™ with accessibility features for blind and partially sighted people

Pan European bank is the first banking group to launch the card at scale in 12 markets and across all products

As part of its partnership with Mastercard, UniCredit is upgrading all its debit, credit and pre-paid cards to Mastercard Touch Card™, which includes features for blind and partially sighted people, making it more accessible.

„Cards with this new feature are now available in Italy and will be gradually introduced over the course of 2024 to all clients in the twelve countries where the bank operates, covering some 20 million cards.” – according to the press release.

The Mastercard Touch Card™ design is based on a system of side notches to help consumers identify the right card by touch alone. The distinct notch helps visually impaired customers differentiate between their payment cards. The card is also made from recycled PVC, with each product imprinted with a Mastercard Sustainable Card Badge, certifying its sustainability credentials.

The card is designed to increase independence for people with visual impairments while making online or in-store payments with their cards. In Europe, it is estimated that there are over 30 million blind and partially sighted people. An average of 1 in 30 Europeans experience sight loss[i].

Alberto Palombi, Head of Group Payment Solutions, UniCredit, said „Empowering our communities means ensuring that everyone has access to the financial tools they need. This is why we are pleased to announce the integration of notches into our cards for blind and partially sighted customers, which have also been made using certified sustainable materials. Banks have a key role to play in shaping a better world, and this is another way that we wish to show our customers that we are there to support them.”

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^[i] Facts and figures | European Blind Union (euroblind.org)