Bridging traditional banking with crypto solutions
Fintech
Role
Starting as the sole Product Designer, I played a key role in building and shaping the design team through hiring and team development. My focus encompassed digital transformation across multiple platforms, acknowledging distinct user behaviors: mobile app for daily banking needs, and web platform for crypto-focused activities.
Intro
Nuri (formerly Bitwala) was a Berlin-based fintech that bridged traditional banking with cryptocurrency services, offering a unique combination of a German bank account, cryptocurrency wallet, and trading capabilities. As part of their evolution, they undertook a major rebranding from Bitwala to Nuri, requiring a complete redesign of the digital platforms.
Key Projects
App Redesign
Onboarding Flow
Interest Account
Savings Plan
Nuri
App Redesign
Business Scope
Bitwala, as the world's first combined Euro and crypto banking service, needed to evolve into Nuri, a service bank account that offers the easiest way to manage daily finances and grow wealth through cryptocurrencies.
The mobile experience needed to transform from a crypto-first platform to an intuitive banking app that makes cryptocurrency investment accessible while maintaining comprehensive banking features.
Project Goal
Create a mobile-first banking experience that positions Nuri as "The bank account to help you manage and grow your money, starting with cryptocurrencies" by:
Providing full banking functionality with protected funds up to 100K EUR.
Enabling wealth growth through simplified crypto trading, crypto interest accounts and savings plans.
Maintaining a clear separation between banking and investment features.
Market & User Research
Initial Research
Studied neo-banks' approaches to investment product integration
Analyzed educational content presentation in financial apps
Examined user trading patterns and frequency
Investigated how other platforms introduce crypto to new users
Key Findings
Users seek simplified entry into crypto investment
Education is crucial but often overwhelming
Neo-banks successfully integrate investment features gradually
Users prefer having daily banking as foundation before exploring investments
Trading frequency varies significantly based on user expertise
Stakeholders & Expert Interview
Conducted sessions with finance experts
Gathered insights from internal stakeholders
Focused on wealth building strategies and user education
Key Findings
Banking and wealth-building should be combined
Focus on rational over emotional investing decisions
Target new demographics (female users, millennials)
Position as bank first, crypto second
Emphasize long-term savings over tradinge
Current App Analysis
Evaluated existing Bitwala app constraints
Analyzed user feedback and pain points
Reviewed technical limitations
Key Findings
Inconsistent design patterns
Unclear core features
Unintuitive login process
Missing onboarding experience
Navigation and functionality issues
Design Process
Feature Mapping
We Organized and prioritized all functionalities by:
Categories: onboarding, banking, wealth, guidance
Priority: immediate needs vs future development
Status: existing vs new features
Concept Development
We created four distinct approaches:
Goal First
Spending First
Investments First
Wealth First
Concept 1 : Goal First
As a user I want to see how much of my goals I reached so that I understand their actual status and not only the money I have.
Concept 2 : Spending First
As a user I want to have an easy overview of my daily spending account that is connected to the investing products so that I can manage my money easily and invest when I can afford it.
Concept 3 : Investment First
As a user I want to have easy access to my investments so that I can control them and make my wealth grow.
Concept 4 : Wealth First
As a user I want to have a seamless overview of the total value of my account, its distribution and investing improvements so that l can upgrade to smarter financial decisions in the future.
Concept Validation & User Testing
Major Insights
Total balance display needed clarity improvement
Users with primary banking needs found top balance distracting
Confusion between interest and savings accounts
Navigation icons needed refinement
Discovery section within wealth required restructuring
Key Improvements
Restructured discovery section within wealth tab
Enhanced merchant visibility for cashback
Updated color coding for save-to-spend feature
Added detailed information views for assets
Made monthly plans more prominent
Implemented quick actions through drag gestures
Refined total balance presentation
Final Implementation
After thorough testing and stakeholder alignment, we chose the wealth concept with "Home, Bank, Wealth, Learn" as the main navigation through the app. positioning Nuri as "The bank account to help you manage and grow your money, starting with cryptocurrencies."
Web Platform
The web platform needed to complement the mobile-first approach while serving users' advanced crypto trading needs. Unlike the mobile app's focus on daily banking, the web experience caters to users seeking deeper crypto functionality and detailed portfolio management.
Nuri
Onboarding Flow
Project Scope
As Nuri evolved from a crypto-first platform to a comprehensive neo-bank, we needed to create an onboarding experience that would welcome both banking-focused users and those interested in crypto investment. The challenge was to design an experience that builds trust through traditional banking while making crypto accessible for newcomers.
Research Methods
Journey Mapping
Through systematic analysis of existing Bitwala user journeys, we identified critical drop-off points and friction areas in the onboarding process. This mapping helped us understand where users struggled most and revealed opportunities to streamline the experience while maintaining necessary compliance requirements.
Data Anlysis
We combined historical data from Bitwala with early Nuri adoption metrics to form our initial assumptions. By analyzing completion rates, abandonment points, and user behavior patterns, we gained valuable insights into how users navigated the onboarding process and where improvements were needed.
A/B Testing
Using insights from our data analysis, we created and tested multiple variations of the new onboarding flow. This allowed us to validate our assumptions, optimize the step sequence, and refine the visual presentation. Through continuous testing and iteration, we developed an experience that successfully balanced user engagement with compliance requirements.
Solution
Understanding our evolving user base, we developed a more inclusive onboarding experience that caters to varying levels of crypto expertise and appeals to a younger demographic. The new flow introduces banking and crypto concepts progressively, allowing users to feel confident regardless of their financial background. By removing technical jargon and implementing a friendly, educational approach, we created an experience that welcomes both traditional banking users and those curious about crypto investment.
Nuri
Interest Account
Project Scope
With cryptocurrency becoming more mainstream, Nuri aimed to introduce a way for users to earn passive income on their Bitcoin holdings. This feature was made possible through a partnership with Celsius Network. Users could deposit Bitcoin and earn up to 5% interest annually, with interest payouts occurring weekly. The account had no minimum investment period, providing flexibility for deposits and withdrawals at any time. Celsius, not Nuri, was responsible for managing the interest payments.
Research Methods
Competitor Analysis
Studied both traditional banks' interest products and crypto platforms' earning features to identify best practices for communicating complex earning concepts while maintaining trust and clarity.
User Interviews
Connected with existing and potential users to understand their concerns about crypto interest products, focusing on trust, risk perception, and essential information needs.
Usability Testing
Validated our approach through interactive prototypes, testing various presentations of rates and earnings to ensure users could confidently understand and use the feature.
5
Competitors
18
Interviews
15
Testings
Key Research Findings
Product Understanding
Trust & Security
Decision Factors
85% of users
required clear explanation of Celsius partnership.
82% of users
read partnership details before depositing.
77% of users
found the 5% annual return to be the primary motivator.
73% of users
prioritized understanding who holds their Bitcoin.
69% of users
valued weekly payout schedule visibility.
65% of users
were attracted by the no minimum investment period.
78% of users
wanted transparency about interest generation process.
71% of users
prioritized withdrawal flexibility information.
83% of users
cited security of funds as their top concern.
Solution
Nuri
Savings Plan
Project Scope
Building upon Nuri's mission to make wealth-growing accessible, we introduced a savings plan feature enabling users to automate their crypto investments through recurring purchases. This bridged traditional banking habits with cryptocurrency investment, allowing users to build their portfolio gradually using their Euro account.
Research Methods
Behavior Analysis
Studied existing users' manual purchase patterns and traditional savings habits to understand optimal scheduling options and preferred investment amounts.
Data Analysis
Analyzed users' existing transaction patterns and salary deposits to inform scheduling options and default investment amounts.
Usability Testing
Tested various approaches to plan creation and management, focusing on how users interact with scheduling options and understand their investment progress over time.
Key Research Findings
Investment Patterns
User Preferences
Success Metrics
72% of users
preferred scheduling investments around their salary dates
75% of users
wanted to see projected growth visualizations
64% of users
reduction in average setup compared to manual purchases
68% of users
showed consistent monthly purchase patterns
83% of users
preferred having preset amount suggestions
85% of users
completed plan setup without support
81% of users
valued the ability to modify or pause their plan easily
70% of users
cited automated investing as a way to avoid emotional decisions
77% of users
expressed higher confidence in long-term crypto investing
General Metrics & Outcomes
Scale & Usage
Successfully launched savings plans for 10,000+ users within first quarter
Average monthly investment amount: €150
60% of active users opted for recurring investments
45% increase in first-time crypto buyers
User Engagement
85% retention rate for savings plan users after 3 months
73% of users increased their monthly investment amount
Average user engagement up 40% versus manual buyers
65% decrease in support tickets related to purchases