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Citizens Bank has launched the Private Client World Elite Mastercard, which uses tactile notches on the side of the card to help visually impaired consumers determine the type of card they are using—credit, debit or prepaid—by touch alone.
The card features different types of notches to distinguish the card type being used, such as rounded for debit, squared for credit, and triangular for prepaid. Mastercard Inc. launched the Touch Card in 2021 as a way to bring security, inclusivity and independence to visually impaired cardholders.
Cardholders can earn an unlimited 2% cash back on purchases, receive a TSA Pre-Check or global entry fee rebate, access to airport lounges at more than 1,300 airports globally, and up to $500,000 in travel accident and baggage delay insurance.
Citizens says it plans to add the Touch Card feature to all its Mastercard branded debit and credit cards in the future as the bank expands its product offerings and redesigns its lineup of cards.
“The launch of the new Citizens Private Client Mastercard is an exciting milestone in our expanded partnership with Citizens,” Linda Kirkpatrick, President, North America for Mastercard, says in a statement. “Embedding Mastercard’s Touch Card feature exemplifies our mutual commitment to innovation and customer experience…to create the best experiences for their cardholders.”
As of March 31, the Providence, RI-based bank had $222.3 billion in assets, 3,300 ATMs, and 1,200 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia.
The new card from Citizens follows other recent moves by payments-related companies to meet the needs of the handicapped. In March, Cantaloupe Inc. launched The 46 Kiosk, a terminal featuring a 46-inch screen aimed at users in wheelchairs and those with vision issues. And in December, the French payments-technology provider Thales launched its Voice Payment Card, which helps visually impaired shoppers verify the details of a card transaction while standing at the point of sale.
