ING and Mastercard introduce Touch Card; a credit card with a new, angular notch

ING and Mastercard have collaborated with spoken word artist Elten Kiene on a spoken word audio press release.  

• The distinct notch helps visually impaired customers differentiate between different payment cards.
• This is noticeably different from the round card notch that ING introduced in 2020 for debit cards. Debit cards will keep the round notch, and credit cards will now feature an angular notch. 
• ING is the first bank in the Netherlands to offer Touch Card.

ING customers will from today receive a credit card with an angular notch when they apply for a new credit card. This change helps visually impaired customers differentiate between different payment cards.  

As the first and only issuer in the Netherland's to roll out Mastercard’s Touch Card, having introduced the Touch Card design to its debit cards in 2020, ING debit cards will keep the existing round notch, and credit cards will now feature the angular notch.  

The Touch Card is designed to increase independence for people with visual impairments while paying. It has been extensively tested and approved internationally; including by The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) in the U.K. and VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the U.S.  

In the Netherland’s, it’s estimated that 300,000 people are visually impaired.    

"Thanks to the new notch, it is quickly clear what the right card is and how to use it at a debit or payment terminal. The Eye Association strives for a society in which people who are visually impaired or blind can participate independently. The Touch Card brings us one step closer to this goal," says Monique Verboeket, project leader digital accessibility and payment system at the Eye Association. 

Guido Bosch, Head of Private Individuals at ING Netherlands, adds: "We believe it is important that our services are accessible to everyone, including customers with visual impairments. A small corner of our credit card that's different from the circular notch on our debit card makes a big difference. This application is in line with our aim to continuously improve accessibility."  

Jan-Willem van der Schoot, Country Manager, Mastercard Netherlands says: "Financial inclusion and accessibility are an essential part of everything we do. We are therefore proud to introduce this new global standard in payment cards together with ING in the Netherlands."  

Accessible bankingING offers various services so that customers with disabilities can do their banking in the best possible way. Customers with a visual impairment can fully control the Mobile Banking app using a screen reader that reads information on a screen, in an app, or on a website. Since this year, it has also been possible to check a mobile payment in advance on Android devices, because the amount can be read out.