Itaú Unibanco innovates with a credit card specifically designed to meet the needs of visually impaired people
São Paulo, agosto de 2024 – São Paulo, August 2024 - Itaú Unibanco and Thales, a global leader in advanced technologies, are launching the first Voice Payment Card. Created in conjunction with Handsome, a fintech specialist in inclusion, the card has been specially developed to help people with some kind of visual impairment at each stage of the transaction, by vocalizing the amount of the purchase to the user before they enter the password. The feature also informs the customer that the transaction has been completed.
“We have a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. That's why we've developed this card so that we can help thousands of the bank's customers make their card payments with much more autonomy and security in face-to-face transactions,” explains Mario Miguel, Payments Director at Itaú Unibanco.
Thales' exclusive technology works via a credit card connected via Bluetooth to a mobile app available on the Apple Store (iPhone) and Play Store (Android). Upon receiving the card, the user simply brings it closer to the cell phone with the Bluetooth enabled to pair them securely. Thus, when making any payment, the connected card communicates the amount to the Thales app, which is voiced to the user by the phone's audio before any validation. When the user enters the password into the machine to authorize the payment, the app notifies the user that the password has been entered correctly and that the transaction has been confirmed.
According to Gustavo Daniel, Thales' Head of Banking and Payment Services Sales for Brazil, the Voice Payment Card project was driven by the purpose of contributing to a more inclusive society.
“As a leader in innovative and more responsible payment solutions, Thales aims to provide convenience and autonomy to as many people as possible. We are proud to share the same goal with Itaú, and to meet the needs of our customers,” he adds.
Itaú is a pioneer in the initiative and, together with Thales, invited visually impaired people to test the Voice Payment Card technology and collect comments and suggestions for improvement.
“Our approach to cultural transformation focused on co-creating solutions with the customer at the center of our decisions allows us to move forward to offer the best experiences. This is an infinite journey, which aims to be increasingly aligned with the diverse needs of Itaú's customers,” adds Lineu de Andrade, Operations Director at Itaú Unibanco.
Thales is a leader in payment innovation exploring more responsible solutions, offering a wide selection of eco-friendly bank cards (made from bio-sourced or recycled plastic materials), as well as more inclusive options, to ensure the accessibility of payment experiences for anyone.
About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies specialized in three business domains: Defence & Security, Aeronautics & Space, and Cybersecurity & Digital identity.
It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive.
The Group invests close to €4 billion a year in Research & Development, particularly in key innovation areas such as AI, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, cloud technologies and 6G.
Thales has close to 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2023, the Group generated sales of €18.4 billion.
