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Goldsand
Designing an accessible, interest-free staking experience.
Role
Product Designer
Team
2 Designers, 2 Devs
Overview
Goldsand sets out to redefine crypto staking by making it simple, trustworthy, and halal-compliant. While staking promises high yields, most platforms are built for crypto-natives and ignore the needs of everyday investors.
Note
This case study is an ongoing project as Goldsand continues to evolve. The following work reflects early design explorations, research, and MVP development.
The crypto staking space is overwhelmingly built for insiders.
85% of staking platforms are designed for crypto-native users, not everyday investors. This outlined two major gaps that Goldsand set out to solve.
Accessibility
Everyday investors are excluded by jargon-heavy, complex onboarding.
Trust
Muslim and values-driven investors lack platforms that are both halal-certified and transparent about how rewards are earned.
Research
Through interviews and competitive analysis, we identified clear segments:
Newcomers
Curious but hesitant, seeking simplicity and reassurance.
Crypto-natives
Already staking but looking for better yields and simpler UX.
Insight
Our key takeaway: Users needed proof that the system operated within halal, interest-free principles.This led to our guiding question: How might we design a staking experience that communicates trust and interest-free investing to everyday users?
MVP
Cutting out friction to make staking simple
We started with a focus on speed, familiarity, and clarity, prioritizing usability over visual polish. The MVP used minimalist flows to test whether users could confidently complete a stake. Shipping quickly helped us validate core assumptions and revealed key behavioral insights around trust and perceived safety.
Key Decisions
Keep everything essential on one screen
The staking experience was condensed into a single screen showing available balance, amount to stake, and transaction details — reducing confusion and unnecessary steps.
Beyond simplicity, we introduced contextual states and feedback, such as zero-balance alerts and progress tracking, to guide users smoothly through the flow.
MVP Metrics
After the launch, we gathered beneficial insights
$6M+
Solana TVL
1.1M
Ethereum staked
Top 5
Validator by APY globally
Learnings
We realized friction can build trust
Too much friction removed
Users felt the product might be a scam or untrustworthy because it was “too easy.”
Brand matters as much as flow
A refined identity helps communicate transparency and safety.
Stick to familiar flows
We didn’t need to reinvent staking flows—similar to how you wouldn’t rewrite a standard checkout experience.
From MVP to product
The MVP taught us what worked — and what didn’t. While users valued speed and simplicity, we learned that too much ease could reduce trust in a financial product. For the next phase, we used those insights to design a complete staking app that balanced approachability with transparency.
Reframing the staking flow
We moved from a single-screen MVP to a multi-stage staking flow. Users wanted to see clear checkpoints, connect, review, and confirm — mirroring traditional financial steps and building confidence through visibility.
Elevating the interface
The new design replaced the dark, “crypto-native” look with a light, transparent UI that feels open and trustworthy. Typography, spacing, and tone were simplified to lower intimidation and improve readability.
Adding education
We introduced contextual education cards explaining key concepts like dividends, liquidity, and halal compliance — helping users make informed decisions without leaving the staking flow.
Closing thoughts
Balance familiarity and innovation
Simplifying flows while keeping recognizable crypto patterns helped users feel confident and in control.
Empower through clarity and education
Contextual learning and flexible options allowed users to make informed choices without feeling overwhelmed.
