The challenge

• Confusing, outdated UX for core user goals
• Inconsistent patterns and unclear structure
• Painful verification flow (average completion time: 30+ days)
• Growing regulatory pressure (MiCA compliance)
• No tools for active crypto use (just withdraw/convert)

We needed to redesign the dashboard to be:

• Simpler and clearer
• Compliant but human
• Capable of supporting active business usage

My role

As Senior UX Designer, I led the dashboard redesign. My responsibilities included:

• Leading research and interviews
• Mapping UX pain points and journeys
• Designing new flows and layouts
• Designig prototype and test it with selected users
• Collaborating with product, compliance, and engineering
• Supporting design handoff and QA

I also worked closely with the Head of Product to shape priorities and advocate for long-term improvements, not just quick fixes.

1. Clarity for first-time users

The old onboarding flow was dense and discouraging. Users were asked to make complex choices without guidance. We simplified the entire experience:

• Fewer steps
• Smart defaults and pre-filled data
• Clearer options based on business type

But we also uncovered a major flaw: verification wasn’t skippable.

If a user lacked one document (like a company structure), they’d leave to find it. When they came back days later, they'd discover more documents were needed. That process could take 30+ days.

So we restructured the flow to:

• Save user progress
• Guide them step-by-step
• Show what’s coming next

We had a motto: “Skip is good. Pre-fill is god.” We meant it.

2. MiCA-ready KYC flow

With MiCA regulations incoming, we redesigned verification to:

• Be modular and adjustable to changing rules
• Offer real-time progress tracking
• Explain legal requirements in human terms

Compliance wasn’t just about meeting the standard—it was about making the process understandable and survivablefor merchants.

3. Making room for faster integrations

Previously, developers were stuck waiting for business owners to complete long verification flows. So we redesigned the onboarding structure:

• Once business data was entered, developers could start integrating the API—even before verification finished.

This change allowed technical and business teams to work in parallel, helping merchants go live faster and reducing internal bottlenecks.

4. From passive to active platform

We realized most users only came to withdraw. So we asked: what if we gave them more ways to use their crypto?

We introduced:

• Pay: send crypto directly to suppliers or freelancers
• Mass Pay: send multiple payments in one go (ideal for salaries)
• Redesigned Convert: clearer UX, increased usage

These tools helped turn idle balances into active value.

5. Human-centric design

One of the most loved changes was simply making the dashboard feel more human.

Old logic: everything was driven by IDs—wallet hashes, order numbers, references.
New logic: names, emails, and real-world context came first.

You could now:

• Find a customer by typing their email or name
• View all their transactions in one place
• Make smarter, faster decisions about refunds or fraud detection

It felt less like querying a database, more like helping a real person.

6. Foundation for a design system

As we redesigned the dashboard, we documented repeatable patterns, rules, and components. This became the seed of the CoinGate design system—a shared visual and interaction language used across:

• Website
• Dashboard
• Checkout gateway

This system improved consistency, reduced design/dev time, and helped unify the entire product ecosystem.

What changed

• Easier onboarding, fewer drop-offs
• Faster, transparent verification, saving weeks
• Support tickets dropped, thanks to better UX
• Higher product usage beyond just withdrawals
• Faster go-lives due to parallel API integration
• New features like Pay, Mass Pay, and Convert boosted platform stickiness
• Human-centered search and decision making
• A dashboard that became the foundation of our design system

Final thoughts

This wasn’t about making the dashboard prettier.
It was about making it clearer, faster, and more respectful of the people who rely on it every day.

We didn’t just fix usability issues—we helped CoinGate scale.
The new dashboard empowered teams, sped up integration, and gave merchants reasons to stick around.

It became a product we could finally grow on top of—and a system we could trust going forward.