Cashlink P2P Payments
Designing a safer and reliable P2P payment solution for crypto in Africa
Context
When the CBN banned crypto, millions lost access to the global financial system overnight.
Bundle was Nigeria's most-used crypto app with over 700,000 users. In February 2021, the Central Bank of Nigeria banned financial institutions from processing crypto transactions, cutting off users' ability to cash out entirely. We had months to build an alternative from scratch.
Challenge
P2P crypto works. But only if people trust it.
P2P payments between strangers are inherently anxiety-inducing — especially for users who'd just had their primary cash-out method pulled without warning. The challenge wasn't just building a functional system. It was designing one that felt safe enough to use at every single step.
Process
I designed the end-to-end flow, then ran the usability tests that reshaped it.
I led the UX for the deposit and withdrawal flows, working closely with the head of design. The core design question we kept returning to was: at what points does a user's confidence drop, and what does the interface need to say or do to restore it? We explored multiple versions of the payment confirmation flow and ran usability tests to determine which approach made users most likely to read instructions before proceeding.
Cashlink positioned as the recommended option — reducing decision fatigue from the start
Five withdrawal methods, Cashlink surfaced first — same trust logic applied to both flows
Onboarding that sets expectations before the first transaction
A loading state that signals the system is working hard for the user
Design Decisions
Trust is built in the details.
P2P only works if both parties trust the system more than they distrust the stranger. Every decision traced back to that principle.
Partner profiles surface completion rates, order volume, star ratings, and estimated time, so choosing a merchant feels informed, not random. Fees are shown before commitment, not after. The 'Before you proceed' modal adds a deliberate friction point at the most critical moment: an extra tap is far cheaper than a disputed transaction. Payment instructions include a countdown timer to create urgency without panic. An escrow lock notice reminds both parties the system is holding everyone accountable.
Completion rate, order volume, speed and rating — everything a user needs to trust a stranger
Multi-select partners to increase the chance of a fast match
User control over how partners are ranked — designed for scale
Fees shown before confirmation — no surprises at the point of commitment
A countdown timer creates urgency without anxiety
Closing the trust loop — ratings feed back into partner rankings
Outcome
3K+ merchants. 98% success rate. 1.7M transactions in under a year.
3K+
Merchants onboarded
98%
Transaction success rate
1.7M
Transactions in under a year
65%
Users chose Cashlink as preferred withdrawal method
200%
Month-on-month user growth
Reflection
What I learned about trust in financial UX.
Designing for financial trust taught me that ambiguous labels and missing confirmations quietly kill retention. The best safety feature we shipped wasn't a fraud alert: it was copy that told users exactly what to do and what would happen if they didn't.