PR97636

DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/

- Distinctive notches on the Touch Card allow blind and partially sighted

people to easily distinguish card

Mastercard and Ajman Bank have strengthened their commitment to inclusion

through a new initiative designed to expand access to the digital economy. The

world-first Touch Card [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqloeDvSSgg] is an

accessible payment card that will allow blind and partially sighted people to

easily facilitate payments and distinguish between their cards.

There are few effective ways for those who are blind or who have reduced vision

to quickly determine whether they're holding a credit, debit, or prepaid card,

particularly as more cards move to flat designs without embossed names and

numbers. Mastercard is addressing this challenge with a simple innovation and

has introduced a system of notches on the side of the card to help consumers

use the right card, the right way.

"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," said Mohamed Amiri, Chief Executive

Officer, Ajman Bank.

Moza Al Akraf Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Community

Development said: "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,

ensuring they can be deployed at scale - the credit cards have a squarish

notch; debit cards have a rounded notch; and prepaid cards have a triangular

notch. As well as blind and partially sighted consumers, anyone in a low-light

environment or reaching into a wallet or purse one-handed can benefit from the

Touch Card design.

The Ajman Bank Touch Card further offers benefits to suit each cardholder's

unique needs, including cash back benefits of up to 10 per cent that can be

selected from across four categories: fuel, online spend, groceries and school

fees.

According to the latest available data, 15% of the global population experience

some form of disability, constituting the largest minority group in the world.

The World Health Organization

[https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairmen

t#:~:text=Globally%2C%20at%20least%202.2%20billion%20people%20have%20a,and%20bli

ndness%20are%20uncorrected%20refractive%20errors%20and%20cataracts.] estimates

that, globally, at least 2.2 billion people have sight problems. A recent

Mastercard study, Bridging the Disability Gap: An Opportunity to Make a

Positive Impact

[https://newsroom.mastercard.com/mea/files/2022/05/%E2%80%98Bridging-the-Disabil

ity-Gap-An-Opportunity-to-Make-a-Positive-Impact%E2%80%99.pdf], revealed that

digital inclusion is the pathway to financial inclusion for persons with

disabilities. It highlights that there is a clear opportunity for the industry

to work collaboratively to make a positive impact on the lives of millions of

people around the world.

Mastercard's concept has been vetted and endorsed by The Royal National

Institute of Blind People (RNIB) [https://www.rnib.org.uk/] in the UK and

VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired [https://visionsvcb.org/]

in the US. The card was co-designed by IDEMIA [https://www.idemia.com/], the

global leader in Augmented Identity, providing trusted solutions in the

physical as well as digital space.

Notes to the editor:

The Touch Card has received several recognitions for its innovative concept and

design, namely:

• Touch Card was named a finalist in Fast Company's prestigious World Changing

Ideas Awards in the "General Excellence" category

• The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) honored Touch Card as a

finalist in the "Design for Everyone" category in their annual awards program

• Disability:IN awarded the 2022 Marketplace Innovator of the Year Award to

Mastercard for Touch Card

• Touch Card won two Silver and 1 Bronze at the Cannes Lions Awards

• Earlier this year, the card design itself was named a finalist at the

International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) Elan Awards

About Mastercard

Mastercard [https://www.mastercard.co.uk/en-gb.html]  (NYSE: MA),

www.mastercard.com, Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments

industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy

that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart,

and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our

innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions,

governments, and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency

quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of

our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories,

we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for

all.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1889896/ULTRACASH_FCARD.jpg

Logo -  https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1889894/Ajman_Bank_Logo.jpg

Logo -  https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1889895/Mastercard_Logo.jpg

Source: Ajman Bank & Mastercard