Designing a Modern Payments App for European Transactions
Settle simplifies sending, receiving, and converting money while supporting businesses with payment infrastructure. Formerly known as mCash (Auka) before the Settle rebrand, it was the 1st mobile payments company in the Nordics and won multiple awards, including Capital Finance International “Best Mobile Payments Platform” in 2017 and 2018.
As a product designer with big passion for fintech, I was tasked with designing a new payments app that enables fast, secure, and low-cost transactions. The goal was to create an intuitive experience for users across different European regions, ensuring frictionless onboarding, transparent fees, and a high level of trust.
200.000+
Challenge
The redesigned app features a clean, intuitive interface, making it easier for users to navigate and access essential features. The improved onboarding process resulted in a 83% increase in new user adoption rates. The addition of personalisation and customisation options enhanced user engagement, leading to 64% increase in transactions volume and a 42% decrease in user drop-off rates.
83%
To better understand user pain points, I conducted:
User interviews with freelancers, small business owners, everyday shoppers and travelers
Competitive analysis of other financial apps to identify best practices
Surveys to gather insights on user preferences for payment methods and security features
• Trust is a top priority - users are hesitant to use new payment apps unless security is clear
Transparency matters - hidden fees and unclear exchange rates discourage users
Speed and convenience drive adoption - users prefer apps with instant transfers and easy navigation
• Simplify onboarding with an easy KYC flow
Enhance transparency by displaying fees and exchange rates upfront
Provide clear transaction tracking with real time updates
Ensure security through biometric authentication and fraud protection
I started with low-fidelity wireframes in Figma to map out core user flows such as:
Onboarding & KYC: A step-by-step process to verify identity with minimal friction
Sending Money: A streamlined form with live exchange rate previews
Transaction Tracking: A timeline based view for real time updates
Security Features: Biometric login and 2-factor authentication
After refining wireframes based on feedback, I moved to high-fidelity designs, incorporating a modern, trust-building UI with a clean and clear interface, highlighting important actions.
Through a user-centric design approach, I successfully improved Settle’s payments experience, making it more intuitive, transparent, and accessible. The redesign addressed key pain points around onboarding, transaction transparency, and trust, leading to significant business growth and improved user engagement.
Achievements & Key Responsibilities
Led the component library update and brand guidelines revamp, transitioning from mCash to Settle
Designed a 300+ screen mobile payments app, a new payments portal, and a new website, resulting in:
83% increase in user acquisition
64% increase in transaction volume
42% decrease in user drop-off rates
Collaborated closely with the CEO, product managers, and developers to ensure seamless implementation of designs and a consistent user experience across all our multiple platforms
Conducted user research to optimise flows and boost conversions, as Settle expanded across 8 European markets during my time
Supported marketing and advertising efforts by designing visually appealing promotional materials of the new app, contributing to a 54% increase in app downloads
By prioritising user needs, seamless experiences, and a strong brand identity, the redesigned Settle app successfully positioned itself as a modern mobile payments solution in Europe.
That's what they said
