Crypto claims to be inclusive. Not for visually impaired, as it turns out
Crypto, with its promise of financial inclusivity, ironically remains largely inaccessible to the blind and visually impaired. In 2017, Bitcoin.com published an interview with Craig McGee, a blind Bitcoin (BTC) enthusiast from the UK. Born with Norrie disease, a genetic disorder, he faced unique obstacles in his Bitcoin endeavors. “The biggest hurdle for the blind is accessibility,” Craig explained. “Most of the wallets are difficult to use, and the QT client interface doesn’t work too well with a screen reader. So I have to do most things with the debug console, and I have to use the ‘help’ command to remind me of some of the commands. Some wallets are even worse as the menus are not read out by the reader so I can’t get them to debug. “ In 2024, this story still isn’t unique to Craig; it’s a shared experience among many of the 43 million blind and 295 million severely visually impaired individuals worldwide. Their journey in the digital finan...