Have you ever tried to “stake” your tokens, adjust your “gas fees,” or back up your “mnemonic phrase,” and wondered if you accidentally stepped into a foreign language class? Welcome to crypto, where even the most enthusiastic newcomers can feel like they’re solving a riddle just to send a few dollars. Among this confusing terminology and intimidating design is where UX (or user experience) comes in. Simply put, UX is how a product feels to use. Is it intuitive, simple, pleasant? Or does it leave you frustrated and confused? UX is about the journey of the user, making sure every step flows naturally. Don’t confuse it with UI (user interface), which refers just to what the screens look like. You can have a beautiful interface but a terrible user experience if the steps don’t make sense or the language is hard to understand. Simply put, UX is how a product feels to use. Is it intuitive, simple, pleasant? Or does it leave you frustrated and confused? UX is about the journey of the user, making sure every step flows naturally. And that’s the heart of the problem: crypto is full of powerful, promising technology, but it’s often locked behind confusing menus and jargon that scare people away. Why UX Matters Everywhere — Even More in Crypto You might think UX is just a “nice touch,” like a fancy design on your coffee cup. But actually, besides the actual need for the product, it’s what makes people stick around in the digital world. If a software product is useful and also feels easy and enjoyable, they’ll keep using it. If not, they’ll quit —fast. And in crypto, that difference can mean millions of potential users deciding to stay in traditional systems or worse, with none at all. UX is just UX is just And in crypto, that difference can mean millions of potential users deciding to stay in traditional systems or worse, with none at all. According to the World Bank, “about two-thirds of unbanked adults said that if they opened an account at a financial institution, they could not use it without help.” The total of those unbanked adults is around 1.4 billion, who also face barriers of distance and documentation when trying to open bank accounts. World Bank World Bank You might think that crypto could easily win over those users (only the Internet is needed), but there’s still the issue of the difficulty of use. All those unbanked people could find a useful alternative in crypto, but the UX is in the middle. Think about how the iPhone revolutionized smartphones. Before it, phones were clunky, and only tech enthusiasts explored their advanced features. Apple made the experience smooth, even delightful, for everyone. That’s great UX at work: you don’t need to read a manual, and you feel confident while using it. revolutionized smartphones revolutionized smartphones Crypto should aim for the same. Many fixes are simple, but they require product designers to focus more on regular people instead of just insiders and developers. Why UX Feels Broken in Crypto So, why does crypto feel so awkward to use today? There are a few common culprits. First, the jargon. Terms like “rollups,” “mnemonic phrases,” “staking,” and “slippage” confuse even experienced users. Then, there are the many steps just to do something simple: opening a wallet, buying tokens, and transferring them often feels like learning advanced mathematics from scratch. Let’s not forget the complex wallet addresses: long strings of random letters and numbers. Would you feel confident sending your money to ‘0x5a1F...7bC9’ without triple-checking it? That’s why the lack of human-readable addresses makes users nervous. They can’t even dream about ‘reading’ smart contracts written in a programming language, but they should be able to, since these systems are doing all kinds of things with their money. That’s why the lack of human-readable addresses makes users nervous. They can’t even dream about ‘reading’ smart contracts written in a programming language And mistakes in crypto can be permanent. If you send coins to the wrong address or lose your keys, there’s often no way to recover them. No friendly “undo” button here. Even crypto’s biggest names agree this is a problem. Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, admitted that their platforms still need improvements and require more simplification to attract new users. Likewise, Changpeng Zhao, ex-CEO of Binance, has said that the exchange has suffered from a bad user experience. admitted admitted If you’ve ever tried bridging your first coins or using DeFi protocols, you know what they mean. It may seem intimidating, even for someone who’s comfortable online. How to Make UX in Crypto Better Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to improve UX in crypto. First, providers should minimize the jargon wherever possible. If they must use technical terms, explaining them in plain language right in the app would be a good idea. Next, the education of users as they go is essential. Little inline tips, confirmation screens, and progress indicators help make the experience less stressful. Avoiding costly mistakes can be done through clearer warnings and descriptions before transactions, and by defaulting to safer settings. For example, pre-selecting higher security or suggesting conservative fees can help protect users from themselves. Avoiding costly mistakes can be done through clearer warnings and descriptions before transactions, and by defaulting to safer settings Another helpful principle is progressive disclosure: show the basic, necessary options first and hide advanced settings behind a “more options” button. That way, providers don’t overwhelm beginners but still serve power users. Inclusivity is also crucial. Not everyone speaks English, has perfect eyesight, or is under 30. Thinking about accessibility and diverse users is good for everyone. Having those same users test the apps and provide feedback is probably the best option, since developers will never have the same experience as them. Having those same users test the apps and provide feedback is probably the best option On the other hand, users also need to consider the custodial vs. non-custodial trade-off. Custodial wallets (like those on centralized exchanges) are often easier because the company handles security, but they’re less private and secure. Non-custodial wallets give more control but demand more knowledge from the owners. A good UX can help guide users to what fits them best. What’s Been Done So Far? We have to admit that it hasn’t always been this way. Back when Bitcoin first launched, there weren’t even “seed phrases.” People often just kept (or lost) an unencrypted file of their private key. Decentralized exchanges (DEXs) were once more complex, clunky tools; today, they have interfaces resembling apps. This progress shows how much can change with a focus on usability. just kept just kept were once were once One great example is the rise of crypto domain name services. Instead of copying and pasting a 42-character address, you can send crypto to ‘alice.eth’ thanks to services like Ethereum Name Service (ENS), Unstoppable Domains, and SPACE ID. They replace intimidating addresses with short, human-readable names. However, the trick is that those domains are available only for those who can buy them and/or pay for them yearly. It’s not exactly a native, free feature. They replace intimidating addresses with short, human-readable names. pay for them yearly pay for them yearly For their part, wallets and exchanges are also doing things to improve. Ready Wallet (previously Argent) focuses on a mobile-first design, friendly support, and replacing seed phrases with an “off-chain recovery” feature from the cloud to help users recover access if they lose their devices. MetaMask introduced “Smart Transactions” for pre-simulated transactions and to make them more cost-efficient. Coinbase has simplified its app dramatically to appeal to beginners, even removing some advanced options until users feel ready. off-chain recovery off-chain recovery Smart Transactions Smart Transactions has simplified has simplified Some chains are experimenting with making smart contracts readable to humans, or have already done that. Platforms like CSPR.live aim to present contract actions in plain English so users can understand what they’re signing before clicking confirm —similar to what already exists in Obyte since 2020 (see below). Researchers are working on this too, proposing new ways to make smart contracts easier to use and readable by humans. Some chains are experimenting with making smart contracts readable to humans, or have already done that. CSPR.live CSPR.live new ways new ways These efforts prove that better UX isn’t just possible, it’s already happening in several platforms. The challenge now is making these improvements the norm, not the exception. Obyte’s UX Initiatives Obyte has been quietly building user-friendly crypto features for years, making it much easier for anyone (even complete beginners) to send and use digital money. One of its most approachable tools is textcoins. These are like little wallets you can send over email, chat, or even print on paper. You don’t need the recipient’s crypto address; they just click a link or type in a simple 12-word phrase to claim the funds. If nobody claims the textcoin, you can even take it back with a tap. These are like little wallets you can send over email, chat, or even print on paper. You don’t need the recipient’s crypto address you can send you can send Another thoughtful feature is the ability to replace long, intimidating addresses with usernames or shortcodes. Instead of sending funds to a random string of letters and numbers, you can register a customized username via wallet chatbot or, if you own a house in Obyte City, claim a unique shortcode to receive payments. These names and shortcodes do come with a small, one-time fee, but it’s affordable and yours to keep without subscriptions. via wallet chatbot via wallet chatbot Obyte City Obyte City Obyte also helps you avoid mistakes when interacting with dapps (like bridges or DEXes). Before you hit send, the wallet shows you a preview of the expected transaction result, including amounts of the coins to be sent in response, changes in the agent’s state (such as balance records), and even the website of the agent (contract) you are interacting with. This transparency gives you peace of mind when dealing with complex smart contracts or agents. Before you hit send, the wallet shows you a preview of the expected transaction result, Lastly, Obyte makes creating human-readable smart contracts easy. You don’t have to be a programmer; you just fill out a simple template in plain language, set the conditions, and send it to the other party for approval. creating human-readable smart contracts creating human-readable smart contracts Whether you’re sending coins, creating agreements, or claiming funds, many of these features have been live, tested, and open to everyone for years. They all are both powerful and easy to use, making Obyte a welcoming corner of the crypto world –including user experience. Featured Vector Image by pikisuperstar / Freepik Featured Vector Image by pikisuperstar / Freepik Freepik Freepik
