Rakuten Wallet: Research to MVP

Creating Rakuten’s own cryptocurrency exchange platform

Role
Designer

Area
Research, Strategy, Design

Platform
iOS, Android, web

Background

In 2018, as cryptocurrency gained mainstream momentum, I joined the core startup team to establish and design Rakuten Wallet, the Rakuten Group’s strategic entry into the crypto-trading market. I drove the service creation process from the initial market research phase through to the final product launch.

Approach

At the project's outset, our team was composed of members from various departments across the group, each bringing different levels of expertise and conflicting expectations for the launch. To align these perspectives, we held an intensive two-day UX workshop to frame the project, define the service, and establish our branding direction. We utilized Lean UX Canvases and affinity mapping to facilitate the session, helping us organize a wide range of ideas into a cohesive vision.

Design & Development

The workshop resulted in a clear framework for the service, its visual identity, how the service is expected to be used, who are the target audience . A primary focus was navigating the Rakuten ecosystem: we needed to leverage the established Rakuten design brand while incorporating a unique styling for Rakuten Wallet.

Ultimately, we developed a "digital-esque" and professional aesthetic that played on the motif of an actual wallet. We moved quickly into a proof-of-concept (POC) app, which underwent a month of internal testing.

Home screen of the PoC Wallet app

The tutorial screen, the login screen, and the home screen of the first public release of the Rakuten Wallet app.

Samples of the customer journey map (CJM) and personas, created using data from market research and the needs of the stakeholders

By analyzing the feedback and data gathered during this period, we successfully transitioned to building the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and the official Rakuten Wallet website.

Impact

Rakuten Wallet officially opened for advanced registration on April 15, 2019, and the full service went live shortly after.

  • 20,000+ accounts completed advanced registration.

  • Official Launch: August 19, 2019.