Neobank Papara debuts world's first talking bank card for people with visual impairments

Turkish neobank Papara just introduced a world's first: a Bluetooth-enhanced debit card that provides visually impaired customers with audio prompts when they make payments.

Customers connect the card — which looks like a regular bank card — to an app on their phone. When making a payment, they insert their card in a point-of-sale terminal as they normally would. The app then reads out the amount to be paid, after which the user can confidently complete the transaction. 

Papara Voice Card was developed in partnership with BlindLook, which advocates for accessible tech, and with Mastercard and Thales. The card is making its debut one year after the bank announced it had partnered with BlindLook to make its app and website fully accessible to people with visual impairments. With 14 million users, Papara is Turkey's largest neobank.