Union Bank of India has reportedly introduced various accessibility features in its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) app, now widely known as the Digital Rupee (e₹).
As one of the first PSBs to provide this kind of inclusive functionality, Union Bank reaffirms its ongoing commitment to enabling greater financial inclusion and innovation.
The Digital Rupee, which is issued and regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the nation’s central bank, is described as a digital form of fiat currency that allows for wallet-based transactions, interoperability with UPI QR codes, auto-load functionality, as well as real-time settlement.
The accessibility features aim to extend the overall reach of this product to individuals with a range of abilities, improving user-friendliness and enabling adoption.
In order to be accessible and empower visually challenged people, this feature should help them to download and navigate the CBDC wallet easily.
Key features and enhancements are as follows:
- Voice-Over Compatibility: Informative screen reading with properly labelled application elements ensures an intuitive experience.
- Gesture-Based Navigation: Simple gestures like swipe-to-navigate and double-tap-to-select enable efficient interaction with the app, including currency selection.
- Platform Compatibility: Fully functional on both iOS and Android devices.
A. Manimekhalai, MD & CEO, remarked:
“Union Bank of India is committed to advancing financial inclusion and innovation. By introducing accessibility features in our Digital Rupee application, we are breaking barriers and ensuring that the benefits of cutting-edge technology are available to all.”
With Union Bank being at the forefront of digital accessibility, it enables a wider and more diverse customer base including differently abled consumers to actively participate in the fast-evolving digital economy.
The CBDC will now aim to lower costs that are typically associated with printing, distributing, as well as managing physical currency and supports a shift from cash-based to secure and more efficient all-digital transactions, supporting the government’s goal of a “less-cash” economy.
