We started with the vision of creating a crypto wallet that could serve every type of user, from advanced traders to traditional investors. However, after conducting three rounds of user interviews and an in-depth competitive analysis, it became clear that the market was already saturated with feature-heavy wallets that overwhelmed beginners. Recognizing this gap, the team decided to narrow the focus to beginners, especially considering that we already had a pool of potential users from existing trading platforms. Most of these users were financially well-off but lacked experience with crypto. This allowed us to tailor the experience for a specific audience first, making user-friendliness a greater priority than simply adding more functionality. Project highlights 4 monthsto launch the first MVP into production9 team membersincluding a designer500%increase in user numbers within 6 months of the app launch50% → 95%increase in user numbers within 6 months of the app launch Making self-custody intuitive Self-custody was a core principle. Users needed complete control over their assets without third-party risks. However, for beginners, managing private keys and transactions often leads to hesitation or abandonment. To bridge this gap, we designed a familiar, structured experience—borrowing interaction patterns from traditional finance apps so users could navigate with confidence. Main screens follow familiar patterns from traditional investment apps. Navigation was reduced to four primary tabs, and onboarding was redesigned to remove early blockers. The original flow forced users to set a password, provide an email, and back up their wallet all at once, which drove high abandonment. By restructuring the flow, we: Postponed the wallet-backup step Removed redundant confirmation screens Introduced a guided onboarding tutorial This approach made onboarding feel less like a technical setup and more like a natural introduction, increasing completion from 50% to 95%. We initially launched an overly long onboarding for new-to-crypto users. Data showed it needed to be faster. Now onboarding is quick and easy—no password creation required, while security remains strong. User-first approach Crypto interfaces often rely on technical jargon and complex workflows, which can alienate beginners. We took a different approach: Every button, label, and message was rewritten in plain language. Instead of vague errors like “Something went wrong,” we provide clear explanations and actionable steps. All major controls are labeled for clarity, so users never have to guess their next action. Rather than blocking users with rigid requirements, we guide them through the necessary steps. Examples of error and warning messages written in plain language with clear next steps. Simplifying the crypto experience Once inside the app, users need to interact with their assets easily, but managing funds across multiple blockchains is often overwhelming. Many wallets require users to switch networks or understand blockchain infrastructure, creating unnecessary complexity. To solve this, we built a multi-chain architecture that handles assets in the background, so users can transact without managing network settings. Users can customize the list of displayed coins across different blockchains. Newly received assets are automatically recognized and added to the main screen. Gas fees presented another common frustration: transactions were often abandoned when users lacked the correct native tokens for fees. Instead of sending them to external swaps, we implemented gasless swaps, allowing exchanges without manual gas management. Gasless swap: the fee is deducted from the source token (USDT) instead of the network’s native token (ETH). For users buying crypto, we streamlined deposits by integrating direct purchases via centralized-exchange (CEX) accounts, providing an alternative to third-party deposits with high fees. This lets users move funds directly from CEX accounts into their self-custodial wallet, reducing friction in the deposit flow. Users can connect their Coinbase account to buy or withdraw assets directly into the wallet.] Beyond basic transactions, many users wanted access to DeFi and NFTs, but external integrations often forced them to leave the wallet and use third-party platforms. To provide a more secure, unified experience, we built a native DeFi browser for staking, lending, and decentralized trading while minimizing phishing risk. The DeFi section features a curated list of trusted crypto services for in-app browsing. For NFT collectors, managing assets across multiple blockchains was often fragmented. Our solution adds multi-chain NFT support, enabling users to view, send, and receive NFTs within a single interface, regardless of network. The wallet supports NFT collections across multiple networks and allows users to send them. To support better decisions, we introduced global market metrics and a curated news feed, putting real-time insights in one place instead of forcing users to search across sources. This turns the wallet into an all-in-one financial tool rather than just a transaction platform. The Markets section includes watchlists, global metrics, and a news feed designed as Stories. Iterative design and engineering collaboration Achieving these improvements required continuous iteration, cross-team collaboration, and a flexible design approach. Because the wallet relied heavily on third-party API integrations, we worked closely with developers to validate feasibility while maintaining a coherent user experience. Without a dedicated business analyst, requirements gathering and interpretation were shared by design and engineering, with design specifications serving in place of formal requirements documents. Design workflow: Wireframe flows and interactive Figma prototypes Detailed UI documentation, including edge cases and transitions A scalable UI kit built from scratch and refined over time After each release, we ran post-launch evaluations to confirm that real-world usability matched the design intent. When engineering constraints arose, we worked with stakeholders to propose viable workarounds, preserving usability and minimizing delivery risk. Conclusion By focusing on usability and accessibility, we turned a complex crypto experience into an intuitive product for traditional investors and beginners. Following these improvements, active registered users increased by 500%, expanding a valuable, revenue-generating segment. We attribute this to making crypto more approachable by prioritizing clarity and confidence.
