MoneyGram 2.0 | Redesign & New Features
OVERVIEW
MoneyGram’s new digital services—money transfer, crypto, and digital wallet—had potential but needed a better online presence.
As an intern, I helped research trends and make the brand clearer, the experience smoother, and the fintech position stronger.
CHALLENGE
Design For Evolution
In a few years, fintechs like Venmo, Coinbase, and Wise disrupted the market with fast, low-fee services, making crypto mainstream.
By 2022, MoneyGram’s outdated site couldn’t keep up with trends and user expectations.
Despite efforts to shift services from web to app, the website struggled to engage users and showcase new features.
My Role
As a design intern, I led market research, information architecture, and brand consistency for MoneyGram’s website redesign.
I designed the hero page and app promotion, collaborating on other features like the account tutorial and user research.
One of my lead prototypes was selected and implemented.
KICKOFF
Learning the Fintech Market
With no prior fintech experience, I analyzed 10 industry leaders, reviewing their websites and apps to understand market trends and how they tackled challenges similar to MoneyGram’s.
My goal was to learn how they showcased branding, arranged features, and guided users from web to app, and apply these insights to enhance MoneyGram’s digital services.
Focus on global reach, simplicity, and reliability for international transfers. Designs prioritize easy navigation with clear calls-to-action and trust-building features, catering to a wide demographic.
Cross-Border Money Transfers
* Analysis of MoneyGram, WorldRemit, PayPal, West Union web & APPOffer simple interfaces for beginners and advanced tools for traders. Designs focus on real-time data, market trends, and security, ranging from simple to complex based on expertise.
Cryptocurrency Trading
* Analysis of Coinbase, Binance, Cypto web & APPThese platforms focus on security, e-commerce integration, and easy payment management. Features like one-click payments enhance functionality for businesses and consumers.
Secure Online Payments
* Analysis of Wise, Visa, PayPal web & APPDigital Wallet: Peer-to-Peer Transactions
Designed for quick, easy transactions, these apps emphasize social interaction and speed. Clean, simple designs make payments fast and intuitive, targeting younger, tech-savvy users.
* Analysis of Venmo web & APPDISCOVERY
What’s Happening in Fintech Design Right Now?
I was surprised by the challenges I found. Some seemed like small issues for tech-savvy users, but a deeper look revealed a bigger problem—users now expect seamless, intuitive financial experiences with minimal effort.
As fintech becomes part of everyday life, expectations keep rising.
“Making digital finance easier and more accessible for everyone.”
If experienced users struggle with navigation, branding, and promotions, how do beginners or users in emerging markets manage? This insight made one thing clear—fintech platforms must simplify, guide, and engage better to serve all users.
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Many sites struggle with too much small text, making information overwhelming.
Conversely, oversized fonts can feel unprofessional and cluttered.
Clear hierarchy & structured layouts help users absorb information quickly.
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Step-by-step instructions improve usability, especially for complex transactions.
Clear navigation and continent-based separation make international services easier to access.
Quick links & well-organized banners help users find promotions and key features effortlessly.
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More use of brand colors & icons makes fintech platforms feel more cohesive.
2D flat illustrations & motion graphics create a modern, engaging experience.
Professional yet friendly tones help balance trustworthiness and accessibility.
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Many fintech companies fail to align app & website experiences, leading to disconnect.
Some apps contain more information than websites, requiring better integration.
Maintaining a consistent language, highlights, and branding across platforms improves trust.
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Educational tutorials help new users understand fintech and crypto.
Strong interactive elements grab attention but should be used strategically.
Young audiences favor fun, trendy layouts, while older users need clear, professional interfaces.
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Many platforms embed promotions at the right moment (e.g., post-payment discounts, referral prompts).
Signup barriers limit user exploration—offering some content before login increases engagement.
Localized content & multi-language options expand accessibility.
* Explore how 10 fintech companies handle promotion, features, user experience, and international web and app interactions.DEEPER INSIGHT
Competitors' Strategies
To integrate money transfers, cryptocurrency, digital wallets, and promotions into one platform, I analyzed competitor websites by category. Some had well-executed features, while others lacked clarity or usability.
Key takeaways for MoneyGram:
Allow user exploration before login – Restricting access discourages engagement.
Simplify terminology – Users should immediately understand key features without confusion.
Prioritize hierarchy – Users lose interest quickly, so the most important information must be clear and easy to find.
* Breaks down how competitors handle money transfers, cryptocurrency, digital wallets, and promotionsDISCOVERY
User Priorities in Fintech
User research shows that low fees, easy setup, and variety of features are top priorities for fintech users. However, many companies push users into signing up too quickly, offering limited or shallow pre-login exploration that feels fake, creating friction and leading to drop-offs.
"A seamless, intuitive experience isn’t just a preference—it’s essential for user retention."
If experienced users struggle, first-time users will face even more challenges.
Insights from the EY Global FinTech Adoption Index highlight the need for clear hierarchy, accessibility, and transparency to help users explore, understand, and engage with the platform without barriers.As fintech becomes part of everyday life, expectations keep rising.
* Diagrams based on the EY Global FinTech Adoption Index, with color adjustments.* The project uses existing user research from the design team to enhance MoneyGram’s website, focusing on applying insights to improve web design instead of further research.DEEPER INSIGHT
User Story
As a cost-conscious user, they need a simple way to discover promotions and navigate MoneyGram’s website so that they can optimize their money transfers, explore new services (like digital wallets and crypto investments), and ultimately improve their financial well-being.
User Archetype
User Archetype: Financially Minded Individual
This user archetype represents people who use money transfer services, often for international transactions, and are also looking to explore digital financial products. The goal is to streamline their experience and make their financial decisions easier by providing clear information, user-friendly navigation, and access to relevant promotions.
REFRAMING THE PROBLEM
Confusing Journeys and Limited Exploration Hurt Engagement and Trust.
MoneyGram’s website and app have the potential to offer exciting new features, but current design and user flow don’t build enough trust or encourage exploration. Users are hesitant to sign up and engage with the platform, leading to missed opportunities for retention and growth.
"…how might we build trust, attract users to try new features, and drives sign-ups and ongoing engagement in web redesign?”
This question drove us to rethink our approach—not just adding new features or redesigning, but how we can shape MoneyGram’s long-term growth.
Our goal became clear: to craft a seamless, trustworthy experience that not only attracts new users but re-engages existing ones, driving sign-ups, exploration of promotions, and ultimately, app downloads.
THE HOMEPAGE REDESIGN
NEW FEATURES+BRANDING
We structured the information architecture to organize website content effectively. We redesign the origianl navigation bar, since there is new feature we want to promote.
Since we only responsible for homepage, we makeit under 7 sections—enough to present key information without overwhelming users.
ORIGINAL DESIGN
LOW-FI DESIGN
FINAL DESIGN
Smarter Navigation, Effortless Discovery
Original navigation dropped users onto pages with missing details. We introduced a mega menu, where hovering reveals key info for quicker, informed choices.
To enhance clarity, each dropdown features icons before subtitles, making content easier to scan. New features like MoneyGram Account, Crypto, and Rewards now stand out in the navigation bar with a “NEW” tag, drawing attention and driving engagement.
We Make It Easy, You Just Send
The redesigned hero section promotes MoneyGram’s fee-free first transaction and showcases key statistics to build credibility.
Next to it, a real-time estimator lets users quickly select a country and amount, streamlining the process. Clear CTAs—“Try for free” and “Learn more”—encourage immediate action.
Everything in One App
We give users a peek into its features, sparking curiosity and encouraging them to download and explore further.
Intro of New 2 Features
We introduced two new services—wallet transfers and crypto trading—within a single section, using a toggle bar for easy switching and allowing users to explore both estimators while easing the transition into cryptocurrency.
Real People, Real Trust
We brought MoneyGram to life with user stories, a guided tutorial, and real reviews from TrustPilot. Real stories build trust, and a step-by-step guide makes getting started with no pressure.
It’s more than just a service—it’s a trusted global network.
Bringing it full circle, we reinforced MoneyGram’s new features by showcasing the app again—this time with real ratings, reviews, and downloads.
With top scores and 1M+ installs, the numbers speak for themselves.
Reinforcing Trust
HOW WE GOT THERE
Polish from feedback and critique
We took our first draft to the senior designers and product manager for feedback.
Their insights helped us refine the experience, addressing any legal or technical issues and polishing it with precision. They know the product best, so their input ensured the design was both precise and compliant.
From Mass Confusion to Clear Hierarchy
We structured the information architecture to organize website content effectively. We redesign the origianl navigation bar, since there is new feature we want to promote.
Since we only responsible for homepage, we makeit under 7 sections—enough to present key information without overwhelming users.
HOW WE GOT THERE
EVERYONE CAN ACCESS
These three questions shaped my design approach:
What’s the best way to let users learn the product immediately?
How can we inform users about major updates?
How do we refresh MoneyGram's branding while keeping its core identity?
MoneyGram's original design lacked a clear information hierarchy. The content was often repetitive or felt like a hard sell, making it harder for users to connect with the service. Instead of telling a compelling story, it was more of a series of announcements pushing information onto users.
The original navigation bar didn't include newly released features. In the first draft, we considered having the website switch between personal and business options. However, after feedback, we realized that this wasn't necessary, as user needs for personal vs. business use are distinct. Since it wasn't essential for the first read, we moved it to the footer.
Given that MoneyGram is an established brand, the "About" section felt redundant, as most users are already familiar with the company. We also noticed the lack of location information, so we added it with an icon for a quick glance instead of creating a new tab.
Lastly, the left-right layout forced users to jump back and forth. To save time and improve flow, we opted for an expandable up-and-down layout for the first read.
Evolution of Navigation Bar
* Credit to Xi ZhangWhen we introduced the three new features, the first draft felt chaotic. We had four interns, and while one focused on user research, the rest of us were each responsible for a different feature. Since we didn’t collaborate much, each of us developed our section independently, resulting in inconsistent design language and four separate sections.
After receiving feedback, I took the lead on visual language and team coordination. We decided to prioritize the money transfer feature using the estimator on the hero page, leaving us with just the account, app, and crypto sections. Instead of promoting the Visa card, we chose to emphasize the "All-in-One Account" concept, which intuitively communicates that MoneyGram now has an app.
We combined two sections to streamline the experience. Since the account transfer feature already uses an estimator, step-by-step instructions became redundant and were removed. The QR code for crypto was too flat and ineffective, so we created an estimator to demonstrate how easy MoneyGram’s cryptocurrency transactions could be.
By collaborating effectively, we successfully consolidated five sections into two, delivering a much clearer, more cohesive user experience.
Introducing 3 New Features
The original heropage has a simple estimator, with promotion of the first transfer. However, as first draft we think there is no promotion for other 3 features, it might be better to build landing page that automatically change to have 3 feature promote, but we soon find out that user have various reading spped and most people would tink the landing page is always still, so they would wait till the other pages to show up. As the design team told us, the foundation feature is the transfer, so we went back and stick with the original design but redesign the estimator so it combines with the new moneygram account and the recieve and track would be so useful, becuase it is facing new users, but it can be find in the navigation bar in side “Send Money“, so why MoneyGram why not other compnay/? we searched and find the decent background and long history in the industry, this trust worthy didn’t mention is a lot, so we add satistic in teh final design.
Evolution of Hero Section
To encourage jser to download the app, we share Trustpilot reviews to encourage new users iwth a video show the demonstration than read how to do it. However, we decide to slit to two seciton in final design, becuase everything in one section is a lot of information, and we become more selective on the user’s feeback, internation user from different perspecive will be better. base on the manaer’s feedback, we realized that the footer need to be for international.
User review + App Promotion
TEST WITH REAL USER
A/B Unmoderated Test
We ran an unmoderated A/B test to see which design best highlights new features while keeping MoneyGram’s core service front and center.
To ensure a well-rounded perspective, we tested with both active money transfer users and potential customers—ensuring the landing page resonates with both new and returning users.
User Testing Insight
Participants responded positively to the design, with unanimous praise for the navigation bar. Interest in country-specific promotions and localized websites was high, highlighting the need for a more tailored experience.
Focus on global reach, simplicity, and reliability for international transfers. Designs prioritize easy navigation with clear calls-to-action and trust-building features, catering to a wide demographic.
Take Aways
What Stood Out
The $10 free crypto promo was the most compelling offer, even encouraging a crypto newcomer to give it a try.
One participant said the landing page alone would make them consider switching to MoneyGram.
However, the MoneyGram Account concept wasn’t immediately clear—most associated “Account” with settings rather than a key service feature.
What Resonated
TrustPilot reviews stood out—many noticed and appreciated them without being prompted. However, some remained skeptical of online reviews in general.
Customer stories in video format were well received, with most preferring a 30 to 45-second length. Those uninterested were either existing MoneyGram users or had no personal connection to international transfers.
Pushing the Boundaries of Branding
THE CHOSEN ONE
As the lead for the hero page and overall site style, I explored 5+ UI variations to push the boundaries of MoneyGram’s branding—including a dark mode concept.
This process wasn’t just about refining the current design but also inspiring the team with new possibilities.
We’ll run an unmoderated test to dive deeper into user responses to content and terminology, with a focus on both the webpage and MoneyGram’s evolving features. Key areas to explore:
Interaction with Send Money and Crypto Estimators
User preferences on customer support and thoughts on the Mia chatbot
Effectiveness of promotions
Awareness of the F1 partnership and user interest
Expectations for a rewards program
Post-MVP Test Plan
THE LAUNCH
MoneyGram Landing Page A/B Unmoderated Test
This A/B test will compare the current MoneyGram site with its future iteration, providing clear data to ensure the updated design addresses key issues and meets the growing diversity of our users, all while staying true to MoneyGram’s core values.
Interaction with Send Money and Crypto Estimators
The Most Radical Update
The final prototype is a high-fidelity version based on real user feedback and testing.
While we could have iterated further and refined the design, time constraints limited us due to the nature of the internship.
One of our explorations was selected for future development, and my dark mode version received strong praise from the design team.
If given more time, we'd continue iterating based on feedback and enhance the user experience with UI and motion design.
Future work would include redesigning the internal pages in the Send Money menu, creating pages for MoneyGram Account and Crypto, redesigning Plus Rewards pages, and refining the site’s dark mode.