MasterCard launches creative new card in Taiwan

MasterCard International and Union Bank of Taiwan recently launched the Union Bank Travel Card, the first card in the world that takes the shape of an image on its card face - the map of Taiwan. The card has an irregular shape with one side outlining the west coast of Taiwan.

The Union Bank of Taiwan card provides cardholders with payment convenience as well as special travel packages and discounts for transportation, accommodation, dining and car rental, with the aim of promoting domestic travel in Taiwan. 

S.C. Lee, President of Union Bank of Taiwan, said, "The unique design of the Travel Card is the most innovative card design we've launched. With Taiwan's map as the card face design and its irregular card shape, the Travel Card is not only a stylish payment product, it is also a valuable collectible for many cardholders who love Taiwan dearly. Through the special design of the Travel Card, Union Bank of Taiwan hopes to raise public awareness of the beautiful scenery and multiculturalism of Taiwan."

Tina Chiang, vice president and business manager, Greater China, MasterCard International, said, "This is another significant milestone for Taiwan as it is the first card in the world to have the Taiwan map as the card face design. Cardholders today want not only a convenient payment product but also a fashionable card design. The Union Bank Travel Card provides just that - a creative card design and shape, payment convenience and special travel packages and discounts. It's the only thing consumers need when they travel in Taiwan."

Smaller than the conventional card, the Union Bank Travel Card is issued as a companion card to a full-sized MasterCard card that has the same image of Taiwan's map on the card face. The card is the fifth MasterCard® SideCard launched in Taiwan since October 2003, but the first to take the shape of the image on its card face. The other MasterCard SideCard cards launched in Taiwan include ChinFon Bank SideCard, Entie Bank Petite SideCard, Shanghai Commercial Savings Bank and Wellcome Supermarket Co-Branded SideCard and E.SUN Bank and Elephant Baseball Club Co-Branded SideCard.

The MasterCard SideCard is a stylish new payment card which features a modified design small enough to fit on a key ring. An alternative to the traditional-sized payment card, MasterCard SideCard offers an ultra-convenient new form that can easily be carried and used at the point of sale.