Mastercard has rolled out its accessible Touch Card solution in Canada, debuting with CIBC to support Canadians with sight loss in making more secure, independent payments. The card features a tactile system that uses unique notches—rounded for debit, squared for credit, and triangular for prepaid—enabling users to distinguish between card types by touch alone. The first to launch with this feature is the CIBC Adapta Mastercard, featuring the squared notch design for credit card identification.
This innovation aligns with rising demand for inclusivity in financial products. According to Mastercard’s recent Pulse survey of 2,000 Canadians, eight in ten believe accessibility should be built into financial tools, especially for those in the sight loss community.
Originally introduced globally in 2021, the Touch Card is part of Mastercard’s broader push for accessibility and financial inclusion, alongside other initiatives like True Name™ for transgender and non-binary individuals and Sonic at POS, which provides audio confirmations during transactions.
Shawna Miller, Mastercard Canada’s SVP of marketing and communications, said the Touch Card “addresses a longstanding challenge faced by Canadians with sight loss,” while Wayne Henshall of CNIB praised it as “a welcomed and important step forward” in improving the usability of payment tools for those who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision.
Diane Ferri, CIBC’s SVP of day-to-day banking, emphasized the bank’s commitment to accessible banking, stating that the new feature helps all clients “realize their unique ambitions” through inclusive product design.
Available from May 1, 2025, the CIBC Adapta Mastercard with Touch Card functionality marks a significant step toward making everyday financial activities more equitable and inclusive in Canada.