Bank Rakyat has introduced a new range of tactile-enabled payment cards aimed at improving banking accessibility for Malaysians with visual impairments. The move, in collaboration with Mastercard, positions the bank as the first Islamic financial institution in the country to adopt such a design.

The initiative centres on the Touch Card, a card enhanced with tactile markers that help users identify the type of card by touch alone. Unique notches, rounded, squared, or triangular, are applied to the edge of debit, credit, and prepaid cards respectively. These physical cues allow for easier identification and correct orientation when using payment terminals, particularly as embossed features become less common on modern card designs.

Two of Bank Rakyat’s products have already incorporated the new feature: the Muslimah Credit Card-i, which includes a square notch, and the Debit Card-i, marked with a rounded edge. The tactile upgrade has been in circulation since April 2025.

The development process included consultations with the Persatuan Orang-Orang Cacat Penglihatan Islam Malaysia (PERTIS), ensuring that feedback from the community directly informed the outcome. As part of the bank’s rollout, 30 PERTIS members were among the first to receive the upgraded cards, along with a cash incentive of RM200.

The Touch Card was co-created by Mastercard and identity technology provider IDEMIA, and has received support from advocacy organisations abroad, including the Royal National Institute of Blind People in the United Kingdom, and VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the United States.

Mastercard’s Country Manager for Malaysia and Brunei, Beena Pothen, described the product as a meaningful step forward for inclusive banking. She said that the design offers blind and partially sighted individuals a simple, independent way to interact with their cards, enabling greater access to secure and convenient payment options.

Bank Rakyat’s Chief Executive Officer, Ahmad Shahril Mohd Shariff, said the new feature reflects the bank’s aim to go beyond standard accessibility requirements. 

“Through our collaboration with PERTIS and Mastercard, we have integrated the Touch Card feature into selected card offerings to meet the specific needs of the visually impaired community, going beyond compliance to deliver solutions that genuinely improve everyday banking,” he said.

(Source: Fintechnews)

• TAGS:
• Ahmad Shahril Mohd Shariff
• Bank Rakyat
• Bank Rakyat Debit Card-i
• Beena Pothen
• Muslimah Credit Card-i
• Persatuan Orang-Orang Cacat Penglihatan Islam Malaysia
• PERTIS
• Touch Card