There seems to be a large disconnect in a lot of online brand-building content. Much of it instructs you on how to "align brand with user experience" to make them both consistent and powerful. 

But, here's the truth: user experience is brand experience. They're the same thing. There's not one without the other.

So, how do you use excellent UI/UX to develop your fintech brand?

The foundation of UX

No one wants to lend money to the mustachioed, ever-rich Monopoly man, because no one likes being at the whims of a cold-hearted banker. This perception highlights the importance of humanizing your fintech services. 

The foundation of fintech UX must be grounded in trust and reliability, offering a seamless, intuitive, and reassuring experience that aligns with the values and needs of your users.

Trust

Trust is everything in fintech. If your customer base doesn't trust your platform, they won't use your services, no matter how innovative they may be. Building trust through user experience starts with ensuring that every interaction reassures users of their security and the legitimacy of your company.

Here are some key ways to build trust through your fintech UI/UX:

• Security features: Use visual cues like padlocks, secure badges, and certifications to signify encryption and personal data protection. 
• Transparency: Be transparent about fees, processes, and transactions. Users should never feel like there's a hidden agenda or a catch. Make sure all the terms and conditions are clear and easy to find.
• Onboarding process: Educate users about your services while ensuring they understand what they're signing up for. This can prevent future frustrations and build trust from the get-go.

Even with those elements in place, trust will be difficult to maintain without consistent, positive experiences. 

Reliability

Users must be able to count on your product at any time and every time. When your UI/UX design delivers on reliability, users are more likely to recommend your service to others, positively affecting your brand reputation.

Here are three things to focus on:

• Performance: Your fintech app must perform consistently, with minimal downtime and quick loading times. If users experience crashes or slow responses, they might lose faith in your platform's reliability.
• Accuracy: Ensure that all financial data, analytics, and recommendations are accurate. Mistakes can cost users money, which is a quick way to lose trust.
• Regular updates: Keep your app up-to-date with regular releases that improve functionality, fix bugs, and add features that users want. This demonstrates your commitment to the platform and to delivering a high-quality experience.

You also have to provide exceptional customer support. Users need to know that if they have a problem, it will be addressed quickly and effectively. 

How modern fintech branding is changing

Modern fintech branding is undergoing significant changes as financial technology becomes more integrated into everyday life and consumers grow more tech-savvy. 

User-centric design

It’s not just about minuscule savings or slightly lower transfer fees anymore (okay, it still sort of is). But fintech has evolved toward user-centric design at the heart of branding, emphasizing accessibility, intuitiveness, and personalization. 

The aim is to create an experience that feels bespoke to each user's needs, eliminating any barriers that might prevent them from fully engaging with the financial service.

Take Square as an example. It revolutionized the payment processing industry for small business owners and e-commerce merchants by making it incredibly straightforward for these users to accept card payments. 

The simplicity and intuitiveness of their system mean business owners can set it up quickly without the need for deep technical knowledge or understanding of the financial industry's inner workings. This approach fostered a sense of empowerment and trust between the user and the brand.

Storytelling

The fintech industry has traditionally been perceived as impersonal and transactional. Modern brands are increasingly using storytelling to create a connection with their base. 

It's a shift from focusing solely on the functional aspects of products and services to encapsulating the brand's mission, vision, and values in a narrative that resonates with users on an emotional level.

Check out the catchy ad from Wise called Take on the World. It barely explains what they do—but you get the story right away: go anywhere, buy anything. Their brand is about breaking down country borders and making global commerce and transactions seamless. 

Wise's storytelling extends beyond their marketing campaigns into the user interface and experience of their products. Even within the app or website, the idea of 'taking on the world' is reinforced through design elements emphasizing simplicity, transparency, and freedom. 

Accessibility

As companies aim to democratize financial services, ensuring accessibility has become a cornerstone of modern fintech branding. They recognize that their services must cater to a diverse user base with varying financial literacy, tech-savviness, and physical abilities. 

By committing to inclusive design principles, they can expand their market reach and foster inclusivity. Things like:

• Language options
• Easy-to-read font sizes
• Voice-guided actions
• Accommodating user interfaces

It could mean connecting with an underbanked region through solutions that function on low-end devices or providing in-person community training sessions that help users become more comfortable and familiar with digital financial platforms. 

It is a moral choice, sure, but also a strategic business decision. By designing their platforms to be accessible, fintech companies tap into new and underserved markets, creating opportunities for growth and customer loyalty.

Final thoughts

By interweaving a brand's story with user-centric, accessible, and emotive design, fintech companies can create memorable experiences that resonate with users on a deeper level. This connection transforms a once transactional activity into an integral part of users' lives, distinguishing a brand in a crowded marketplace.

When users feel understood, supported, and seen, they engage with a brand that speaks to their aspirations and values.