Come end-July 2025, OCBC app will let seniors and users with sight challenges choose larger text sizes in English and Mandarin, advancing digital banking inclusivity

Singapore, 3 July 2025 – By the end of July 2025, the OCBC app will have smart text resizing in English and Mandarin, advancing the industry-wide push for inclusivity in digital banking. As Singapore transitions into a “super aged” society, the feature aims to support seniors and users with sight challenges or limited digital confidence. They can choose from seven text sizes, including larger options that are easier to read.

The feature stems from a year-long effort involving nearly 100 engineers, designers and product managers. It was driven by staff observations in recent years that many older customers struggled with the default text size and feared making mistakes while banking online. Hundreds of screens have been redesigned including account balance details, Money Lock and Scan and Pay – functions that are most used by seniors. In this initial rollout, 70% of the app screens have been covered, with the remaining to be completed by the first half of next year.

Currently, most banking apps do not give customers the option to directly resize text. As such, customers can only adjust their text size through their phone settings, which has its own limitations. On iPhones, changes to text size do not apply consistently across apps, while on Android devices, enlarged fonts can sometimes disrupt layout and readability. To resolve these issues, OCBC’s solution adapts the app’s interface to the customer’s preferred text size and device’s screen dimensions.

While the feature is available to all customers, it was developed under the auspices of OCBC SeniorCare, a $2 million programme launched earlier this year to empower over 180,000 seniors to age well. It complements other efforts to support elderly customers, such as the recent hiring of OCBC CARE Ambassadors fluent in dialects to assist seniors at selected branches.

Said Mr Sunny Quek, Head of Global Consumer Financial Services, OCBC: “With almost 40% of our digitally active customers aged 60 and above, it’s clear that designing for inclusivity is not just a nice-to-have – it’s a necessity. Smart text resizing may seem like a simple feature, but it is the latest in a string of meaningful changes in how we approach inclusive banking. It was made possible through close collaboration and it’s a true One Group effort. By listening to our customers and working together, we’ve created a solution that empowers more people to bank with confidence, regardless of age or ability.

We hope it encourages seniors who are on the fence to try digital banking again. But even if they’re not yet ready, we have CARE Ambassadors and continue to keep some branches open on Sundays – all our channels remain open because banking should always be accessible to all.”