Redesigned end-to-end USDC Rewards to rebuild user trust and drive $30M in deposits
Problem
Users couldn't understand reward rates or when payouts happened. These issues hurt user trust.
Solution
Based on UXR, I pushed scope from a UI fix to an end-to-end redesign that boosted user trust and USDC growth.
Impact
↓ 25% support tickets
↑ $30M projected deposits
2.4M users reached
Product Designer
8 Weeks (2024)
PM, ENG, Legal, UXR, Content
Figma, UserTesting.com
Challenge
The $30K cap made reward rates hard to understand, led to user trust issues.
USDC Rewards is Coinbase's top growth lever, offering interest-like incentives for users holding USD Coin. Coinbase One members earned 5.50% APY on their first $30K of USDC, and 5.10% after that. But users only saw a single rate - often something like 5.33% - with no context or breakdown.
The old interface showed minimal information – just a single APY percentage and lifetime earnings with no explanation. Users were left confused and mistrustful.
Solution Snapshot
Phase #1
Rewards Module Redesign
I landed on a solution that addressed user confusion (user goal) and achieved asset growth (business goal).
I made the reward rate row tappable, using a familiar interaction pattern to reveal a clear breakdown of boosted and base rates. This made the experience intuitive and helped users quickly understand their rewards.
To support growth goals, I also surfaced an upsell card encouraging users to deposit more USDC.
Phase #2
Rewards Delivery Transparency
I persuaded cross-functional teams to expand scope based on UXR findings and created a scalable email template for all reward communications.
The redesigned experience improved clarity in user communication and drove user action by highlighting reward amounts with prominent timestamps and CTAs.
I then addressed the in-app experience by introducing an end-to-end payout tracking flow to create transparency & delight.
I cannot show before & after here since it barely existed before :(
Impact
As we are rolling out the revamped payout experience, our data science partner expected us to achieve…
Research
To understand more problem details, I dug deeper into the data:
Analyzed 500+ support tickets related to USDC rewards
Interviewed 10 Coinbase One members about their rewards experience
Shadowed support team interactions to understand how they explained rewards
The findings revealed widespread misunderstanding:
Through research, I discovered a second critical paint point that wasn't originally scoped:
These problems led to high support volume, low trust, less engagement, and ultimately fewer deposits.
Scope
Based on the research insights, I advocated to expand the project to addressing the end-to-end USDC rewards experience.
APY calculation confusion: Users couldn't understand why they were seeing different rates than promised
Invisible reward distribution: Users had no idea when rewards would be paid
Process Deep Dive (Phase 1)
I gained feedback from design critics & iterated on my approach to USDC rewards module.
Iteration 1
Info icon with tooltip
Pros
Minimal visual disruption to the main UI
Lightweight, easy to implement
Cons
Low discoverability - most users missed it
Critical information hidden behind extra interaction
Iteration 2
Dense text block below the rate
Pros
All necessary information immediately visible
No hidden interaction - users could see explanations directly
Cons
Overwhelmed users with too much information at once
Poor visual hierarchy that increased cognitive load
Iteration 3
Business-forward framing
Pros
Highlighted benefits to motivate more deposits
Supported business goals of growing USDC holdings
Cons
Prioritized incentives over user understanding
Didn’t address underlying confusion about rate calculations
From Exploration to Final Design
I prioritized improving user understanding for two key segments, then layered in growth incentives to support business goals.
I shifted focus toward designing a lightweight, intuitive interaction that clearly explained how reward rates were calculated without overwhelming users.
"I have MORE than $30K of USDC"
To give users a quick explanation of how their reward rates were calculated, I designed a breakdown drawer that separates boosted and base reward rates with balance amounts.
I also surfaced "Average reward rate" to acknowledge the blended calculation.
"I have LESS than $30K of USDC"
For users who don't have a blended rate, I highlighted Coinbase One membership status to reinforce premium membership value.
Serve business goal in a dedicated surface
To encourage additional USDC deposits, I collaborated with content and legal teams to craft a compliant, motivating upsell card.
User Testing
I learned and programmed user testing on UserTesting.com to learn about users’ feedback on this update.
➔ Before Prototypes: Only 3 out of 10 users could correctly explain the APY mechanics.
➔ After Prototypes: 8 out of 10 participants comprehended that APY could change based on their USDC balance.
Results
Clarity drives understanding and engagement
Improving APY comprehension directly reduced user confusion and support load, while the upsell card and breakdown drawer drove meaningful engagement. These results validated that designing for clarity first unlocked better user trust and platform growth.
Moving onto Phase 2
Phase 2 closed the trust gaps in user communication and in-app experience.
Scalable email templates
I partnered with the Design Systems team to create a customizable email template.
Other teams can surface upsell opportunities like Coinbase One promotions alongside reward communications. This approach made the reward experience feel complete for users, while also supporting longer-term growth initiatives.
End-to-end rewards payout flow
To reinforce trust and drives growth, I designed a transparent in-app experience across key touchpoints.
Confetti celebration screen creating moments of delight upon payout
In-app payout history providing reward tracking over time
Push notifications alerting users when rewards are deposited
Implementation
Bringing design to life
To balance engineering constraints & business priorities, I partnered with PM partner to devise a phased rollout plan.
Technical: Integration with transaction systems required refactoring
Business: Legal compliance required specific disclosures
Learnings & Takeaways
Look beyond surface problems to uncover deeper user needs.
The obvious problem isn't always the most impactful. By digging deeper into support tickets, user interviews, and shadowing support calls, I discovered that user confusion was beyond unclear APY—it was about fundamentally lacking trust in how rewards were communicated. Addressing the real issue turned user frustration into confidence.
Balance clarity and business goals to build user trust.
Design isn't just about clear visuals—it's also about transparently aligning user needs with business objectives. By iterating rapidly on APY explanations and collaborating with legal, product, and content teams, I found a solution that significantly improved user comprehension and drove substantial platform growth.
Design end-to-end experiences to maximize impact.
User trust isn't built by fixing isolated touchpoints. By carefully designing each stage—from initial APY clarity through to rewarding payout notifications—I delivered a cohesive, transparent experience. This comprehensive approach reduced support tickets and became a model for other Coinbase product flows.
