Paceswap
Paceswap
Simplifying Crypto for Everyday Users
Simplifying Crypto for Everyday Users
Location
Africa
Industry
Fintech
Services I provided
User experience
Branding
Website Design
Web App
Mobile App
Target Audience
Young professionals, students, freelancers, and everyday Nigerians exploring crypto as a savings or payment option.
Overview
Introduction
PaceSwap is a mobile-first cryptocurrency platform designed by Pace Innovation Systems LTD. It empowers users to securely store, swap, and use crypto in their daily lives. As the founding product designer, I was responsible for branding, product design (mobile + web dashboard), and overall user experience.
This case study highlights the challenges we faced, my design process, and the impact of the final product.
The Problem
While cryptocurrency adoption is growing rapidly in Nigeria and across Africa, many users still face challenges:
Complexity – Most exchanges are designed for advanced traders, not everyday users.
Trust & Security – Concerns about fraud and unreliable wallets reduce adoption.
Lack of Fiat Integration – Converting crypto to Naira (NGN) is often slow, expensive, and unsafe.
Poor User Experience – Overloaded dashboards, hidden fees, and unintuitive flows discourage beginners.
Users wanted a platform that was simple, secure, and locally relevant—something that worked seamlessly for both beginners and experienced traders.
The Goal
Design an all-in-one crypto experience that:
Simplifies crypto swaps and transfers with a clean, intuitive UI.
Builds trust through transparent transactions and strong branding.
Integrates a Naira wallet for instant fiat conversions and bill payments.
Provides advanced trading tools (like live order books) for power users—without overwhelming beginners.
Research & Insight
Conducted surveys with Nigerian crypto users to understand pain points.
Competitive analysis of Binance, Luno, Trust Wallet, and Quidax to identify gaps.
Insights: Users wanted speed, clarity, and transparency—with the option to scale into advanced trading later.
In order to properly understand the problem from the perspective of the users,
an interview was conducted among the target users to validate their pain points.
The interview was carried out with 7 crypto traders and 3 people who intend on going into crypto.
The aim of this interview was to find out how crypto traders make transactions
on a daily basis and understand how they would continue trading considering the regulation issued.
4 out of the 7 crypto traders use social plaforms like whatsapp, telegram respectively to trade crypto and gift cards with thier clients. They admitted to the fact that the process was quite tediuos and had plans of switching to other trading plaforms like Binanace, Buycoins.
The remaining 3 crypto traders also use social plaforms for thier trade as well as other trading plaforms like Binance. Although their issue was keeping their clientele because most of their clients only reach out via these social plaforms.
The last set of people interviewed were the newbies to crypto trading. These set of users were still experimenting plaforms to make use of and had concerns about the regulations issued earlier. One of them highlighted how they would like to make all their transactions in one place because of a personal experience.
The aim of this interview was met because some of the interviewees concerns seemed to be valid and corresponded with the goal of the product
Now the problems have been properly defined, and salient areas have been unveiled for opportunities for the product, I used my findings to deduce 2 user personas who will represent the target audience defined with their needs.
Overview
PaceSwap is a mobile-first cryptocurrency platform designed by Pace Innovation Systems LTD. It empowers users to securely store, swap, and use crypto in their daily lives. As the founding product designer, I was responsible for branding, product design (mobile + web dashboard), and overall user experience.
This case study highlights the challenges we faced, my design process, and the impact of the final product. This case study highlights the challenges we faced, my design process, and the impact of the final product.
The Problem
While cryptocurrency adoption is growing rapidly in Nigeria and across Africa, many users still face challenges:
Complexity – Most exchanges are designed for advanced traders, not everyday users.
Trust & Security – Concerns about fraud and unreliable wallets reduce adoption.
Lack of Fiat Integration – Converting crypto to Naira (NGN) is often slow, expensive, and unsafe.
Poor User Experience – Overloaded dashboards, hidden fees, and unintuitive flows discourage beginners.
Users wanted a platform that was simple, secure, and locally relevant—something that worked seamlessly for both beginners and experienced traders.
The Goal
Design an all-in-one crypto experience that:
Simplifies crypto swaps and transfers with a clean, intuitive UI.
Builds trust through transparent transactions and strong branding.
Integrates a Naira wallet for instant fiat conversions and bill payments.
Provides advanced trading tools (like live order books) for power users—without overwhelming beginners.
Research and Insights
Conducted surveys with Nigerian crypto users to understand pain points.
Competitive analysis of Binance, Luno, Trust Wallet, and Quidax to identify gaps.
Insights: Users wanted speed, clarity, and transparency—with the option to scale into advanced trading later.
In order to properly understand the problem from the perspective of the users,
an interview was conducted among the target users to validate their pain points.
The interview was carried out with 7 crypto traders and 3 people who intend on going into crypto.
The aim of this interview was to find out how crypto traders make transactions
on a daily basis and understand how they would continue trading considering the regulation issued.
4 out of the 7 crypto traders use social plaforms like whatsapp, telegram respectively to trade crypto and gift cards with thier clients. They admitted to the fact that the process was quite tediuos and had plans of switching to other trading plaforms like Binanace, Buycoins.
The remaining 3 crypto traders also use social plaforms for thier trade as well as other trading plaforms like Binance. Although their issue was keeping their clientele because most of their clients only reach out via these social plaforms.
The last set of people interviewed were the newbies to crypto trading. These set of users were still experimenting plaforms to make use of and had concerns about the regulations issued earlier. One of them highlighted how they would like to make all their transactions in one place because of a personal experience.
The aim of this interview was met because some of the interviewees concerns seemed to be valid and corresponded with the goal of the product
Now the problems have been properly defined, and salient areas have been unveiled for opportunities for the product, I used my findings to deduce 2 user personas who will represent the target audience defined with their needs.
Branding
The branding for PaceSwap was designed to communicate trust, simplicity, and innovation in financial transactions. Since the product operates in the fintech space, the identity needed to feel professional and credible while still being approachable to its audience of everyday users and businesses.
I developed a modern logomark that reflects the idea of exchange and movement, capturing the dynamic nature of peer-to-peer transactions. The typography leaned toward clean, sans-serif fonts to reinforce clarity and accessibility, while the color palette balanced cool blues and greens to symbolize security, growth, and stability. Accent tones were introduced to create energy and highlight interactive elements across the product.
Beyond the logo and colors, I created a comprehensive brand style guide that defined tone of voice, iconography, and visual hierarchy. This ensured that PaceSwap’s identity remained consistent across the dashboard, mobile app, marketing materials, and website.
The final branding positioned PaceSwap as a trustworthy yet forward-thinking solution, enabling it to stand out in the competitive fintech landscape and resonate strongly with its target audience.
Branding
Built a modern and trustworthy brand identity that communicated speed, reliability, and innovation.
Designed a logo and color system balancing fintech professionalism (blue/green tones) with youthful energy.
Defined typography, iconography, and illustrations to ensure consistency across app, dashboard, and marketing.
User Flows & Wireframes
For PaceSwap, I designed a simplified onboarding process that guides users from sign-up through KYC verification to funding their wallet and swapping crypto, mapping distinct journeys for beginners—focused on wallet use, simple swaps, and bill payments—and advanced users who engage with a live trading dashboard featuring an order book and analytics, all validated through low-fidelity wireframes before transitioning to high-fidelity designs.
Design Process
User Flows & Wireframes
For PaceSwap, I designed a simplified onboarding process that guides users from sign-up through KYC verification to funding their wallet and swapping crypto, mapping distinct journeys for beginners—focused on wallet use, simple swaps, and bill payments—and advanced users who engage with a live trading dashboard featuring an order book and analytics, all validated through low-fidelity wireframes before transitioning to high-fidelity designs.
Low Fidelity
To validate the user flows, I created low-fidelity wireframes that outlined the key interactions for onboarding, wallet management, crypto swaps, bill payments, and the advanced trading dashboard, focusing on structure and usability before moving into high-fidelity design.
UI Design & Dashboard
Low Fidelity
To validate the user flows, I created low-fidelity wireframes that outlined the key interactions for onboarding, wallet management, crypto swaps, bill payments, and the advanced trading dashboard, focusing on structure and usability before moving into high-fidelity design.
High Fidelity
The high-fidelity design screens brought the PaceSwap experience to life by combining a clean, modern interface with the trust and clarity users expect from a fintech platform. The onboarding screens simplified sign-up, KYC verification, and wallet funding into a seamless journey that reduced friction for first-time users.
For everyday users, I designed an intuitive wallet dashboard with clear balances, quick-access actions for swaps, and integrated bill payments, making it easy to manage daily financial needs. For advanced traders, I built a live trading dashboard featuring an order book, market analytics, and customizable charts, ensuring they had the tools necessary for real-time decision making.
Consistent typography, a calming color palette of blues and greens, and micro-interactions across the platform reinforced PaceSwap’s identity while enhancing usability. The result was a product that catered to both beginners and power users, creating a cohesive yet flexible experience across all touchpoints.
UI Design & Dashboard
High Fidelity
The high-fidelity design screens brought the PaceSwap experience to life by combining a clean, modern interface with the trust and clarity users expect from a fintech platform. The onboarding screens simplified sign-up, KYC verification, and wallet funding into a seamless journey that reduced friction for first-time users.
For everyday users, I designed an intuitive wallet dashboard with clear balances, quick-access actions for swaps, and integrated bill payments, making it easy to manage daily financial needs. For advanced traders, I built a live trading dashboard featuring an order book, market analytics, and customizable charts, ensuring they had the tools necessary for real-time decision making.
Consistent typography, a calming color palette of blues and greens, and micro-interactions across the platform reinforced PaceSwap’s identity while enhancing usability. The result was a product that catered to both beginners and power users, creating a cohesive yet flexible experience across all touchpoints.
Reduced onboarding from 7 steps to 4, streamlining sign-up, KYC, wallet funding, and swapping, which improved task completion rates by 30% during usability testing.”
0%
0%
Reduction
in onboarding steps, streamlining sign-up, KYC, wallet funding, and swaps.
0%
0%
Reduction
in onboarding steps, streamlining sign-up, KYC, wallet funding, and swaps.
0%
0%
Task completion rate
achieved during usability testing after simplifying key flows.
0%
0%
Task completion rate
achieved during usability testing after simplifying key flows.
0
0
distinct user journeys
mapped (Beginner & Advanced), ensuring tailored experiences for different user needs.
0
0
distinct user journeys
mapped (Beginner & Advanced), ensuring tailored experiences for different user needs.
Bata launch
Bata launch
Reduced onboarding from 7 steps to 4, streamlining sign-up, KYC, wallet funding, and swapping, which improved task completion rates by 30% during usability testing.”
0%
0%
Reduction
in onboarding steps, streamlining sign-up, KYC, wallet funding, and swaps.
0%
0%
Reduction
in onboarding steps, streamlining sign-up, KYC, wallet funding, and swaps.
0
0
distinct user journeys
mapped (Beginner & Advanced), ensuring tailored experiences for different user needs.
0
0
distinct user journeys
mapped (Beginner & Advanced), ensuring tailored experiences for different user needs.
0M
0M
Interaction with Noura
interactions, indicating a substantial volume of conversational exchanges happening through the WhatsApp interface.
0M
0M
Interaction with Noura
interactions, indicating a substantial volume of conversational exchanges happening through the WhatsApp interface.
Learnings
Designing PaceSwap highlighted the importance of simplifying complex financial flows without losing trust or functionality. By reducing onboarding steps by 43%, I learned that small design decisions can create a measurable impact on user adoption and overall product usability.
Another key takeaway was the need to design for different user types. Beginners required a simple, guided experience for wallets, swaps, and bill payments, while advanced users needed access to real-time trading tools and analytics. Balancing these two journeys taught me how to build flexibility into a single platform without overwhelming either group.
Finally, this project reinforced the value of testing early through low-fidelity wireframes. Validating flows at an early stage saved time, exposed friction points, and ensured the final product was both intuitive and scalable.
Learnings
What I learnt
Designing PaceSwap highlighted the importance of simplifying complex financial flows without losing trust or functionality. By reducing onboarding steps by 43%, I learned that small design decisions can create a measurable impact on user adoption and overall product usability.
Another key takeaway was the need to design for different user types. Beginners required a simple, guided experience for wallets, swaps, and bill payments, while advanced users needed access to real-time trading tools and analytics. Balancing these two journeys taught me how to build flexibility into a single platform without overwhelming either group.
Finally, this project reinforced the value of testing early through low-fidelity wireframes. Validating flows at an early stage saved time, exposed friction points, and ensured the final product was both intuitive and scalable.
