Kixy; Designing the Future of Social Fintech

Company: Kixy
Role: Product Designer
Duration: 3 years
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web (Personal & Business)
Team: Cross-functional (Product, Engineering, Marketing, Compliance, Design)
Contribution: UX/UI Design, Flows, Design System, Visual Design, Website, Feature Implementation

The Challenge

Kixy set out to become the first true social banking platform; a digital-first financial service blending banking features with seamless peer-to-peer interaction. The challenge: design an intuitive experience that feels as friendly as messaging, yet as reliable as traditional banking, supporting multi-currency accounts, borderless debit cards, and social money actions.

My Role

As a Product Designer at Kixy for nearly 3 years, I worked across both mobile (iOS/Android) and web applications for personal and business users. I collaborated closely with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders to translate requirements into seamless user experiences.

Key responsibilities included:
- UX & UI Design: Led the end-to-end design of core fintech features including onboarding, multi-currency wallets, borderless debit card setup, chat-driven payment flows, and business tools.
- "Kixy It" Feature Development: Designed intuitive flows for Send, Split, and Request money actions, integrating them tightly into the app’s messaging system with reactions and confirmations.
- Design System: After the first year, I co-led the development of a robust, scalable design system to support cross-platform consistency. I worked closely with the growing design team; including a visual designer, motion designer, and two additional product designers—to expand and maintain it.
- Prototyping & Testing: Created high-fidelity prototypes for regular user testing, validated assumptions with feedback loops, and iterated rapidly based on insights.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Actively participated in design critiques, sprint planning, and daily standups, ensuring tight communication across engineering and product teams.

As the team scaled, I contributed to onboarding new designers, documented system standards, and helped shape the evolving product experience that combined social interaction with secure, reliable fintech functionality.

Problem

How do we combine financial utility with social features; without making it feel cluttered, untrustworthy, or too casual?
We needed to strike the right balance between emotion and function, while maintaining a high standard of clarity, compliance, and user confidence.

Discovery

The discovery phase began with understanding how users perceive social features in a financial context; a relatively new and sensitive space. The core challenge was blending utility with interaction in a way that felt both secure and engaging.

We conducted:

- User Interviews with early adopters and potential users to identify pain points in existing money transfer apps and gauge comfort levels with chat-based financial actions.
- Competitor Analysis across both fintech and social platforms to benchmark features like transaction flows, social reactions, and account management.
- Stakeholder Workshops to align on product goals, compliance boundaries, and market opportunities.
- Persona Development based on qualitative insights; creating profiles for personal users (e.g., students, freelancers) and business users (e.g., small entrepreneurs sending cross-border payments).
- Journey Mapping to visualize emotional highs and lows across user flows, especially around sensitive actions like sending or requesting money.

These insights guided us to create a unified experience that didn’t just include social features; it made them feel native and useful, not gimmicky. The idea of "Kixy It" was born here, rooted in the feedback that users wanted money movement to be fast, emotional, and intuitive; like sending a message.

Architecture

As the Kixy platform evolved, we needed a scalable design and technical architecture to support both personal and business banking across mobile and web. The architecture planning involved close collaboration with product managers, developers, and stakeholders to define a modular and flexible system.

We broke down core user journeys (onboarding, money transfer, account management, etc.) into reusable components, enabling us to scale the product quickly and maintain consistency. We defined interface architecture using clear information hierarchy and intuitive navigation models suited for fintech needs including secure access, transaction flows, and financial insights.

From a design standpoint, we used atomic design principles to structure components, pages, and templates that were integrated with our design system. These architectural decisions supported faster prototyping, consistent visual language, and better developer handoff.

This foundational architecture ensured seamless integration between features like "Kixy it" (send, split, request money), account management, transaction history, and social chat functionality; giving users a unified and smooth experience across the platform.

Design Solutions

We approached the product holistically; balancing financial security, UX clarity, and social delight. Key solutions spanned multiple features across both personal and business user journeys.

1. Kixy It – The Social Finance Engine
- Unified Send, Split, and Request under one simple action.
- Designed a conversation-style interaction post-transaction, with emojis, reactions, and in-app prompts.
- Built trust through live status updates in the chat thread (e.g. “Payment received”, “Pending”, etc.).
- Enabled users to create a money moment, not just a transaction.

2. Multi-Currency Account UX
- Designed clear currency selection and balance views.
- Used color-coded wallets and flags for currency distinction.
- Simplified FX rate display with visual indicators for conversion cost.
- Added contextual tips for new users on how to manage and convert currencies safely.

3. Business Dashboard Features
- Streamlined dashboard for viewing balances across currencies.
- Transaction tagging system to help small businesses categorize expenses.
- Designed simple invoice-to-payment flow for freelancers.
- Enabled team permissions (e.g. finance team, admin) through intuitive role management UI.

4. Borderless Debit Card Activation Flow
- Created a guided step-by-step activation journey, reducing drop-offs.
- Added real-time progress tracking for card shipping, identity verification, and activation.
- Integrated visual cues to indicate card status (active, blocked, pending).

5. Smart Onboarding
- Built personalized onboarding journeys:
- For personal users: focus on KYC, funding account, and trying Kixy It
- For business users: guided through setting up currency wallets and team roles
- Added a “Skip and Explore” mode for app testers and investors

6. Notification & Alert System
- Contextual and non-intrusive alerts for payment success, low balance, rate changes
- Visual hierarchy ensured primary actions were clear and timely
- Integrated seamlessly into the Kixy chat and transaction feed

Each solution was grounded in user feedback and tested with real scenarios. Together, these features created a platform that felt both powerful and human — serious about money, but fun to use.

Wireframing

We began with low-fidelity wireframes to explore navigation patterns, information hierarchy, and social-fintech interaction models without visual distraction. These early explorations helped us quickly test ideas with stakeholders and users across personal and business segments.

Some of the key wireframing highlights included:

- "Kixy It" Interaction Flow:
Mapped out separate wireframes for Send, Split, and Request money, with branching paths based on whether the recipient was in the user’s contacts, new, or a group chat. We also included wireframes for follow-up actions like in-app reactions and message confirmations.

- Multi-Currency Wallets:
Explored different ways to display multiple currencies in one dashboard, landing on a horizontal swipe and expandable list model for compact clarity. Each wireframe iteration aimed to balance clarity with quick access to FX conversion.

- Personal vs. Business Dashboards:
Created two wireframe sets — one with a clean transaction feed for personal accounts, and another with business-specific tools like expense tagging, role management, and simplified invoicing.

- Onboarding and KYC:
Designed a modular onboarding experience for both user types, wireframed for optional steps (like linking external bank accounts or uploading business docs) to reduce friction.

- Borderless Debit Card Setup:
Wireframes broke the journey into intuitive stages: request, ship tracking, ID verification, and activation — each visually guided.

- Social Chat & Notifications:
Explored embedded payment messages in chat threads, interactive buttons (e.g. “Split this?”, “React”), and passive alerts like FX rate nudges and balance warnings.

We validated the wireframes with quick guerrilla tests and stakeholder reviews before progressing to high-fidelity design. This wireframing stage was critical in shaping the core architecture and defining interaction expectations for both mobile and web.

Prototyping

We developed interactive prototypes using Figma:

- High-fidelity flows mimicked real interactions on iOS/Android
- Prototypes used for stakeholder reviews, onboarding tests, and investor demos
- Also embedded in design documentation for dev handoff

User Testing

Regular remote and in-person usability tests with 6–8 participants per sprint:

- Observed hesitation points in flow
- Validated iconography, CTA labeling, and messaging
- Iterated based on findings (e.g., replacing “Split It” with “Split Bill” for clarity)
- Also ran A/B tests on social reactions UI placement

Design System

As the product matured, I led the development of a shared design system in Figma:

- Tokens: spacing, color palette, typography scale
- Components: buttons, tabs, cards, modals, alerts, input states
- Cross-platform: ensured parity across iOS and Android while respecting platform conventions
- Documentation: maintained specs and usage guidelines to support new designers and dev team
- Contributed to accessibility standards: contrast, text sizing, focus states

The system allowed our growing team to stay consistent, speed up prototyping, and ensure visual alignment across features and platforms.

Impact

- Boosted feature usage (Kixy It) by 40% in first 2 months
- Reduced user confusion during money transfers by 30% (support tickets drop)
- Accelerated new feature development thanks to reusable components
- Strengthened Kixy’s brand as a trustworthy but expressive fintech product

Final Design

After several rounds of iteration, testing, and stakeholder input, we translated our validated wireframes and design system into polished user interfaces for both mobile and web platforms. The final designs reflect Kixy's vibrant, social-first identity while maintaining clarity, accessibility, and trust; key for a Fintech product. Each screen was crafted with attention to detail, ensuring consistency, responsiveness, and a seamless experience across personal and business use cases. The "Kixy It" features; Send, Split, and Request, were visually prioritized to highlight their unique social finance functionality, and subtle motion was added to reinforce interactions and guide user flow.

Results & Learnings

The launch of the new Kixy mobile and web apps, along with the refreshed business experience and unified design system, marked a significant step forward in delivering a seamless and delightful user journey.

Key Outcomes:

- User Engagement: After launch, user session duration increased by 35%, indicating improved engagement with core features like Kixy it (Send, Split, Request).
- Task Completion Rate: Usability testing and live product analytics showed a 42% improvement in task completion (especially for onboarding and money transfer flows).
- Design Consistency: Our design system ensured cohesive UI across iOS, Android, and web, reducing dev/design inconsistencies and speeding up implementation.
- Growth & Expansion: As the product matured, the team scaled efficiently. New product designers were onboarded faster thanks to clear documentation and reusable components.
- Collaboration: Working closely with PMs, engineers, and stakeholders, we created a shared understanding of product goals. Feedback loops were faster and more actionable.

What I Learned:
Building for fintech requires a balance between user delight and trust design must feel modern but credible.

- Adding social features to a financial product needs thoughtful UX to avoid distraction and preserve clarity.
- Early prototyping, clear design tokens, and active user testing dramatically reduce late-stage revisions.
- A flexible but solid design system is essential when growing a team and product rapidly.

Overall, the experience strengthened my ability to design strategically at scale, collaborate cross-functionally, and make decisions grounded in both user needs and business priorities.

Improving the User Experience of Pantel

The Next Generation of Universal, Swift and Safe Communication

Background:
Pantel, a universal communication application, was experiencing low user engagement and retention rates. The application integrated several capabilities like messaging, voice and video calls, group and individual social networks, communication according to geographical location and trading online to provide a unique instance of the next generation communication for free, secure and open source for the use of all people around the world. However, users were complaining about the confusing navigation and the lack of features compared to competing messaging apps. The company decided to conduct user research and implement design changes to improve the overall user experience.

Methods:

User Interviews: The team conducted in-depth interviews with current and potential users of the Pantel application to understand their pain points and desired features. The team asked open-ended questions to gather detailed information about user's experience with the app, their likes and dislikes, and their suggestions for improvements. This helped the team identify the most pressing issues that needed to be addressed in the redesign. The interviews were conducted in-person, over the phone, and via online video conferencing to reach a diverse group of users from different age groups, cultural backgrounds, and geographic locations.

User Surveys: We distributed a survey to gather quantitative data on user satisfaction and feature preferences. The survey included multiple-choice and rating scale questions to gather data about user's overall satisfaction with the app, their likelihood of recommending the app to others, and the specific features they would like to see added or improved. The survey was distributed via email, social media, and in-app notifications to reach a broad range of users.

User Testing: We conducted usability tests with a prototype of the redesigned Pantel app to observe user interactions and gather feedback. During the testing, users were asked to complete specific tasks using the app, such as navigating to a specific feature or sending a message. The team observed users' behavior and recorded any issues or difficulties they encountered. This helped the team identify usability issues that needed to be addressed before releasing the final product. The testing was conducted both remotely and in-person with a sample of users from different demographics to gather a diverse set of feedback.

A/B testing: We also conducted A/B testing to evaluate the effectiveness of different design solutions. This involved showing different versions of the app to users and comparing the results to determine which version performed best.

Analytics: Lastly, we analyzed data from the app's analytics platform to gather information about usage patterns, engagement, and retention. This helped the team to understand how users were currently interacting with the app and identify areas for improvement.

The methods used in this case study were chosen to provide a comprehensive understanding of user needs and behaviors. User interviews and surveys provided qualitative and quantitative data on user pain points and feature preferences, while user testing provided information on usability issues and helped to validate the design changes before release. Together, these methods helped the team to make informed decisions about the redesign of the app, and ultimately led to the improvement of user engagement and retention.

Results:
The research and redesign efforts led to several key improvements in the user experience of the Pantel app.

Navigation: Based on user feedback, the team reorganized the app's menu and added clear labels to improve navigation. This made it easier for users to find the features they needed and reduced confusion.
Contact management: Users requested a more efficient way to organize and manage their contacts, so the team added a feature that allows users to create custom contact groups. This made it easier for users to stay in touch with specific groups of people and improved the overall communication experience.

Chat customization: Users also desired more customization options for their chat conversations, so the team added options for changing chat backgrounds and sending GIFs and stickers. This added a fun and personalized touch to the chat experience and made it more engaging for users.

Multi-tasking: many user mentioned they want to use the app while doing other things, so the team added a feature that allows users to minimize a chat and continue browsing the app without losing their conversation. This feature allows users to multitask and stay connected with their contacts at the same time.

Contests and games: The team added contests and games for users to keep them engaged and improve their experience in the app. This feature provides a way to interact with other users and have fun while using the app.
Exciting bots: To enhance the user experience, the team also included a variety of exciting bots in the app. These bots provide users with access to a wide range of services and information such as news, weather, sports, and entertainment. The bots also offer games and quizzes to keep users engaged and entertained. These bots are designed to be conversational, making it easy for users to interact with them and get the information they need. This feature adds an extra layer of convenience and fun to the app, making it more engaging for users and providing them with a unique experience.

These improvements were implemented based on the feedback and suggestions of the users, which ensured that they were tailored to meet their specific needs and preferences. As a result, user engagement and retention rates increased, and users reported a more enjoyable and efficient experience with the app.

Problem: One of the major problems identified during user interviews and surveys was that users were struggling to find the features they needed within the app. The current navigation was confusing and not intuitive, which led to users feeling frustrated and unable to accomplish their goals within the app.

Solution: To address this problem, the team redesigned the navigation of the app to make it more intuitive and user-friendly. The new navigation included a bottom tab bar that made it easy for users to access the most frequently used features, such as messaging, voice and video calls, and social networks. The team also added a search bar to the navigation, making it easy for users to find specific features or contacts within the app. Additionally, the team added tutorials and in-app tips to help guide users through the new navigation and ensure they could find the features they needed quickly and easily.

As a result of these changes, users reported feeling more satisfied with the app and found it much easier to accomplish their goals. The team also monitored analytics data and found an improvement in user engagement and retention.

Conclusion:
The Pantel case study demonstrates the importance of user research and design in improving the overall user experience of an application. By conducting user interviews, surveys, and testing, the team was able to gather feedback from a diverse group of users, including individuals from different age groups, cultural backgrounds, and geographic locations. This allowed them to gain a comprehensive understanding of the users' needs and pain points.

The redesign efforts led to several key improvements in the user experience of the Pantel app, including a more intuitive navigation, an improved contact management system, enhanced chat customization options, and the addition of a multitasking feature. The team also added contests and games to keep users engaged and entertained, and the integration of exciting bots that provide users with access to a wide range of services and information, making the app more engaging and unique.

The results of the redesign were significant, with user engagement and retention rates increasing by 30% and user satisfaction rates increasing by 20%. The redesign also led to a 15% increase in daily active users, and a 25% increase in the average session duration. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the redesign in creating a more engaging and satisfying experience for the users.

In conclusion, the Pantel case study highlights the value of user-centered design in creating a successful and engaging communication application. By understanding and addressing the needs of the users, the team was able to create a unique and satisfying experience for all people around the world, and ensure the app's long-term success as evidenced by the improvements in engagement, retention and satisfaction rate.