Designing a Fintech Savings Platform for Japanese SMBs — From UX Architecture to Test-Ready Prototype
Product:
Gluefi — a web-based platform offering tokenized U.S. money-market funds for Japanese small and medium-sized businesses (4–5% APY, positioned as a high-yield USD savings account).
Role:
Product Designer (UI/UX). Worked closely with an Art Director.
Team:
CEO, PM, Design (2), Dev team.
Context (Problem & Challenge)
The client needed:
clear UX flows for all core scenarios,
multiple homepage concepts to validate messaging and trust,
dashboards tailored for Japanese SMBs,
a simple and transparent KYC/KYB flow,
Why the project existed
high trust and security cues,
extremely clear communication,
visual simplicity,
careful differentiation from investments.
Core challenge
a UX framework that makes a complex financial product feel simple,
several versions of key screens for A/B testing,
a design language appropriate for Japanese business customers.
We created the UX foundation and UI mockups for a new fintech web platform.
The deliverables included: homepage variations, product context frames, a multi-version dashboard, transaction history, settings, onboarding, KYC/KYB flow, and usability-test-ready prototypes.
We also created early versions of the White Paper, Proposal visuals, and developed Kiribako — a symbolic visual element combining Japanese culture with modern finance.
The project required speed, clarity, and constant alignment with the PM and client as we built multiple versions for rapid testing.
Workflow & Key Stages:
1) Alignment with PM & client — defining essential screens
2) UX architecture — user flows, scenarios, prioritization
3) UI exploration
2–3 homepage versions
2 Gluefi context versions (storytelling vs. infographic)
3 dashboard versions
4) Creation of Kiribako as a visual metaphor
5) Preparing prototyping files for user testing
6) Iterations based on internal feedback
Solution (Design)
Key Components
1) Minimal, trust-focused visual style
2) Messaging framed as “savings with yield” rather than “investment”
3) Infographic storytelling to explain the product quickly
3) Three dashboard concepts:
USD-centric
JPY-centric
Kiribako-visual concept
4) Clear, linear KYC/KYB flow
5) Kiribako as both a cultural and functional identity element
6) Iterations based on internal feedback
How we validated the solution
Internal walkthroughs with PM and client
- Preparing A/B testing versions
- Interactive prototypes for usability testing