An Easy and Intuitive Way to Buy and Sell Cryptocurrency
We collectively decided to focus on an easy and intuitive way to buy and sell cryptocurrency that is familiar and intuitive to an Android user by identifying the challenges we wanted to solve since our first launch, we started to validate our concept, using real customers as beta testers. We interviewed top investors to understand how they bought and sold crypto, which tools they used to do so, and their general thoughts on the tZERO App as a potential addition to their workflow. Their feedback convinced us we were on the right track. So we ran additional interviews, conducted surveys, and reviewed data reports to further confirm our hypothesis. It quickly became clear: there really was a need to improve the cryptocurrency portfolio management process.
A Crypto Exchange Built on a Crypto Wallet
Working together with cross functional partners in engineering and product management we found the right experience our investment tool would need to provide by matching the features necessary for a minimum viable product through User Story mapping which helped us document the product roadmap.
With the design and development of our product well under way, we started on branding. We needed something bold that would stand out from competitors, while still feeling familiar to our investors. We created a strong tZERO logo mark that speaks to the communication between investors and the portfolios they manage. We developed a bold color palette to establish a strong, recognizable brand identity and improve user wayfinding.
In just five months we conducted research, designed the user experience, built a prototype, held a beta test, and shipped both an iOS and Android version of the app.
We’re currently working on additional features and refining the experience as tZERO continues to grow – we’re just getting started.
Designing for Security in a Number of Ways
- Biometrics. Access to your wallet is protected with biometric data using your face and your fingerprint, ensuring that no one but you can access the wallet and the cryptocurrency stored on it.
- Transaction Verification. For every transaction, users are asked to take a picture of themselves so that we can verify the rightful owner of the account is the one authorizing the transactions. This picture is compared to the picture used in enrollment to verify that you are the person who owns your account. While no system is completely foolproof, this makes the security of the tZERO Crypto far stronger than other cryptocurrency wallets.
- Responsible Data Storage. To make sure we comply with state and federal laws, all new users will submit personal identifying information for analysis and approval. The personal identifying information collected by tZERO is not saved, so it cannot be stolen from tZERO. tZERO only keeps your name, picture, state and email address.
- Direct Delivery and Ownership. tZERO does not hold your cryptocurrency. When you purchase a Bitcoin from tZERO, it is sent from the point of purchase directly to your private wallet. Unlike many sites and exchanges, this means that no one can hack tZERO to steal your Bitcoin because we never have access to it.
- Disaster Recovery. Even if you lose your phone, tZERO has a unique, patentable way to recover your funds that no other service offers. While we hope this doesn’t happen, you can have peace of mind that even in an unfortunate event such as this, your money is still safe.
