Digital Banking Access for People with Disabilities
Author: Mastercard
Published: 14 Jul 2022 - Updated: 5 Sep 2026
Publication Type: Data & Statistical Analysis
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content
Synopsis
This research from Mastercard provides evidence-based insights into how digital technology can address financial exclusion affecting one billion people with disabilities worldwide. The study offers quantifiable data showing that 28% of banks in developed nations and up to 64% in emerging markets remain inaccessible to disabled customers, while also documenting how smartphone-based solutions, artificial intelligence interfaces, and contactless payment systems can restore financial independence. Through detailed case studies and accessibility metrics across different disability types, the research establishes practical pathways for banks, fintech companies, and mobile operators to implement inclusive digital services. The findings are particularly valuable for financial institutions seeking to serve disability communities, policymakers developing accessibility standards, and disabled individuals navigating banking options, as it identifies specific technological solutions - from text-to-speech interfaces to conversational AI - that address visual, hearing, cognitive, and mobility-related barriers to financial services.*
At a Glance
- 1 - Roughly 63 percent of the world's population is now online since the pandemic. Yet only 21 percent of adults with disabilities in surveyed regions own a smartphone.
- 2 - A 2019 UN report found 28 percent of banks in developed countries are seen as inaccessible. In some emerging economies that figure reaches as high as 64 percent.
- 3 - Emirates NBD trained more than 2,100 staff through Disability Equality Training and taught them American Sign Language. Its Disability Friendly Branch project, launched in 2016, integrates infrastructure, technology, and services in three phases.
- 4 - The Mastercard white paper, Bridging the Disability Gap, argues that digital inclusion is the pathway to financial inclusion. It ties this work to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, based on leaving no one behind.
Topic Definition
- Financial Inclusion
Financial inclusion is the effort to make sure everyone can reach and use the banking, payment, credit, and insurance services they need, regardless of ability, income, or circumstance. For people with disabilities, it means removing the physical and digital barriers that keep many from banking on their own, whether that is being unable to enter a branch or ATM, read a paper statement, or communicate with a service provider. The idea rests on the principle that access to financial services is a matter of independence and privacy, since managing your own money and keeping your transactions confidential are things most people take for granted. In practice, financial inclusion increasingly depends on digital inclusion, using tools such as accessible smartphone apps, text-to-speech interfaces, conversational AI, and contactless payments to close the gap. Done well, it moves accessibility from a compliance obligation toward a genuine opportunity to bring the world's largest minority group into the everyday economy.
Overview
Technology and Financial Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities
A compassionate approach to the financial needs of persons with disabilities, supported by innovative technology solutions, has the potential to address the needs of the most vulnerable members of society across the Middle East and Africa, according to the latest white paper from Mastercard.
The study Bridging the Disability Gap: An Opportunity to Make a Positive Impact reveals that digital inclusion is the pathway to financial inclusion for persons with disabilities. As governments adopt and prioritize policies to improve the accessibility of services, this paves the way for public and private sector financial institutions, mobile network operators (MNO), fintech providers, and other organizations to develop and apply solutions.
Umar Hashmi, Vice President, Global Product and Engineering, Mastercard, said:
"At Mastercard, we are a purpose-driven organization and put into practice our belief in 'doing well by doing good.' Diversity, equity, and inclusion are part of who we are, and we bring this to life by deploying products, services, and partnerships that are aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), based on 'leaving no-one behind.'"
According to the latest available data, one billion people, or 15% of the world's population, experience some form of disability, constituting the largest minority group in the world. Types of disabilities include visual, hearing, speech, mobility, cognitive, and psycho-social.
A combination of physical constraints in accessing financial institutions and services prevents many persons with disabilities from banking independently. Depending on the type of disability, this includes being unable to travel to and enter a financial institution, branch, or ATM, not perceiving and understanding what is written on paper or electronic devices, being unable to hear, understand, and communicate with banking service providers, and being unable to access paper or digital content.
The paper includes real-life case studies of persons with disabilities who depend on others to perform simple financial tasks. One interviewee said:
"You should be able to access financial services in privacy; no one should know the details of your banking transactions, your balance, and how much you spend."
Others spoke about how digital access to services significantly impacted their financial independence.
A 2019 UN report cites data that show persons with disabilities consider 28% of banks in developed countries and between 8% and 64% of banks in some emerging economies to be inaccessible.
However, measures are being taken to address this at the government and corporate levels. The UAE has enforced a federal law concerning the Rights of People with Disabilities. Emirates NBD bank has imparted Disability Equality Training to over 2,100 of its staff and has also taught them American Sign Language. The bank's Disability Friendly Branch project, implemented in 2016, aims to facilitate and ease the banking experience. The three-phase transformation integrates infrastructure, technology, and services to enable and enhance accessibility.
According to the Mastercard white paper, in the Middle East and Africa, using digital inclusion as the pathway to financial inclusion for persons with disabilities must involve reducing the gap in smartphone ownership, mobile internet usage, and digital literacy.
Approximately 63% of the world's population is now online since the pandemic. Research in select low- and middle-income countries in the Middle East and Africa shows that, despite a large mobile disability gap widening at each stage of the user's journey, 62% of adults with disabilities own mobile phones and 21% own smartphones.
The emerging technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution - such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, and the internet of things - have the potential to be delivered through apps and web-enabled services. This makes it possible to address the accessibility gap in financial services.
| Disability Type: | Visual | Hearing | Speech | Physical | Cognitive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branch banking | 50% | 25% | 25% | 67% | 33% |
| Online banking | 80% | 40% | 50% | 50% | 20% |
| ATMs & kiosks | 60% | 50% | 40% | 40% | 20% |
| Phone banking | 80% | 40% | 20% | 60% | 20% |
| Mobile banking | 60% | 60% | 60% | 30% | 20% |
| Digital wallet | 33% | 33% | 33% | 33% | 33% |
| Loans | 50% | 50% | 50% | 50% | 38% |
| Debit/credit cards | 63% | 63% | 50% | 50% | 25% |
| Statements | 89% | 56% | 56% | 56% | 22% |
| Investing/trading | 44% | 56% | 44% | 33% | 22% |
| Insurance | 67% | 83% | 83% | 83% | 33% |
Technology Making Financial Services More Accessible
Since a diverse range of factors contributes to the lack of financial access for persons with disabilities, financial inclusion requires that each form of disability be addressed via innovative solutions formulated for specific use cases.
While solutions by stakeholders with an international presence, such as Mastercard, have the potential to be applied globally, the varied landscape of opportunities and challenges across regions necessitates a localized approach. For example, a mobile-first approach to financial inclusion has proven effective in much of the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. Some solutions suggested are:
- The use of mobile banking - especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of the new normal - has given rise to user interfaces that are uncluttered, simple, and distilled to display core information in a user-friendly manner.
- Artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots are bridging the information gap by helping customers navigate banking tasks using conversational interfaces.
- Contactless payments promote greater enablement, not only in stores but also at ATMs. Users can choose to interact with a familiar device such as an accessible smartphone rather than the kiosk when requesting cash withdrawals.
- Text-to-speech or speech-enabled digital processes based on natural language processing (NLP) have profound implications for accessibility for those with sensory limitations. Intuitive, personalized tools such as those that implement debit card spending controls and transaction monitoring can prove valuable for financial independence.
Hashmi further said that Mastercard's Product and Engineering division takes a customer-centric approach to solving problems. Labs as a Service, for instance, hosts innovation teams working on new solutions and experiences. Using ideation and concepts, the team helps distill solutions and develop prototypes that can be tested for real-life scalable applicability.
The approach is designed to onboard as many people as possible into the digital economy. In addressing the needs of persons with disabilities, there is a clear opportunity for the industry to work collaboratively to impact millions of lives worldwide positively.
Frequently Asked Questions
NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)
What is the difference between financial inclusion and digital inclusion
Financial inclusion is about giving everyone access to banking, credit, and payment services they can actually use. Digital inclusion focuses on access to devices, connectivity, and digital skills, and it often serves as the pathway that makes financial inclusion possible.
Why are traditional bank branches hard for some disabled customers to use
Physical branches can be difficult because of travel barriers, inaccessible entrances, printed materials that cannot be read, and staff who are not trained to communicate in accessible ways. These obstacles can prevent someone from banking privately and independently.
How do contactless payments help people with disabilities
Contactless payments let people use a familiar accessible device, such as their own smartphone, instead of an unfamiliar kiosk screen. This can make purchases and even ATM cash withdrawals easier for those with mobility or sensory limitations.
What role does artificial intelligence play in accessible banking
Artificial intelligence and chatbots can guide customers through banking tasks using simple conversational language. This reduces the information gap for people who find traditional menus, forms, or interfaces hard to navigate.
How does text-to-speech technology support banking access
Text-to-speech and speech-enabled processes based on natural language processing read information aloud and accept spoken input. This is especially valuable for people with visual or reading-related limitations who cannot easily use printed or on-screen text.
Are there laws that require banks to be accessible to disabled people
Many countries have adopted disability rights laws, and the UAE has enforced a federal law on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Requirements vary by region, so accessibility standards and enforcement differ from one country to another.
What is a mobile-first approach to financial inclusion
A mobile-first approach delivers banking services primarily through smartphones and mobile networks rather than physical branches. It has proven effective across much of the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, where mobile access is often more widespread than branch access.
What can banks and fintech companies do to improve accessibility
They can design uncluttered interfaces, add voice and conversational tools, support contactless transactions, and train staff to assist disabled customers. Treating accessibility as market expansion rather than mere compliance helps reach far more people.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The intersection of disability rights and financial technology represents one of the most significant opportunities in modern banking, yet the statistics reveal how far the industry must travel. When more than half of banks in some markets remain functionally inaccessible to disabled customers, we're not discussing edge cases or niche accommodations - we're talking about systematic exclusion of the world's largest minority group from essential services. What makes this research particularly relevant is its focus on solutions already within reach: the same smartphones many people carry daily, paired with thoughtful design, can eliminate barriers that once seemed insurmountable. As contactless payments, voice banking, and AI-driven interfaces become mainstream, financial institutions face a choice between treating accessibility as regulatory compliance or recognizing it as market expansion. The technology exists; what remains is the commitment to deploy it universally rather than selectively.*
Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Mastercard and published on 14 Jul 2022, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.
* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.