Mastercard Unveils Touch Card in Canada to Empower Visually Impaired Users
Mastercard has launched its innovative Touch Card in Canada, a groundbreaking initiative to advance financial inclusion for individuals with visual impairments.
The Tactile Solution for Inclusive Payments
Designed specifically for the visually impaired community, the Touch Card introduces a tactile identification system that enables independent and secure payment management. Available through the CIBC Adapta Mastercard program, the card features distinct notch designs: rounded for debit, square for credit, and triangular for prepaid options. This intuitive system allows users to distinguish card types by touch alone at point-of-sale counters and ATMs, eliminating reliance on visual cues.
Driving Inclusivity in Financial Services
The Canadian National Institute for the Blind reports that 1.15 million Canadians live with sight loss, highlighting the critical need for accessible financial tools. With eight in 10 Canadians supporting inclusive financial products, Mastercard’s launch responds to a growing demand for equal access to economic opportunity. The Touch Card’s tactile interface empowers blind, deafblind, and low-vision users to manage daily transactions with greater autonomy.
Beyond accessibility, the initiative reinforces Mastercard’s commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) excellence, positioning the company as a leader in inclusive fintech design. As the global digital payment market is projected to reach $361.3 billion by 2030, Mastercard views this effort as both a moral imperative and a strategic business move—recognizing that serving underserved communities drives long-term value.
If widely adopted, the Touch Card’s tactile features could set a new industry standard for card manufacturing, paralleling the transformative impact of braille on ATM design.
