Designing Data-Heavy Fintech Interfaces: Lessons from a Crypto Exchange

Fintech platforms rely on data. Prices, transactions, balances, and charts all need to be clear, accurate, and easy to use. But if too much information shows up at once, users lose clarity. Instead of helping, the product can end up overwhelming them.

This challenge is especially obvious in crypto exchanges, where traders depend on fast access to live data but don’t want to dig through overloaded tables. In our recent project, MuesliSwap, we faced this problem: how do you design a decentralized exchange that manages lots of data but still feels simple and easy to use?

Here are the main lessons we learned.

1. Start With the Core Goal of Each Section

One of the most common mistakes in fintech design is trying to make a single screen do too much. Dashboards often end up overloaded with charts, tables, and numbers competing for attention. At first, this might seem impressive, with everything in one place. But in practice, it creates cognitive overload. Users lose sight of their main task, whether that's trading, checking balances, or reviewing performance.

The key principle we follow is simple: each section of the platform should serve one clear purpose. This doesn't mean cutting features. Instead, it means organizing them based on what users want to do. In a financial app, user goals change depending on the screen. One area might be for trading, another for analyzing past performance, and another for managing funds. If you mix these goals in one place, the product feels cluttered and confusing.

This issue became especially visible in our work on MuesliSwap. The original version of the platform tended to show too many details at once, with trades, charts, and logs competing for space.  We took a step back and asked, "What is the user's main goal here?" This helped us reorganize the platform  so each part had a clear focus. Trading, order tracking, market analysis, and staking were separated into distinct flows, and each one was optimized for the specific decision the user needed to make there.

The result was a platform that anyone could use without frustration. All the important features were still there, just easy to find and understand.

Takeaway: Every screen should answer one question well. Is the user here to trade? To track performance? To explore new opportunities? Design clarity starts from that decision.

2. Data Tables Must Be Smart, Not Just Big

Tables are unavoidable in fintech. But when they grow without structure, users spend more time scrolling than acting.

The way to fix this is to make tables feel like tools, not static lists. Users should be able to filter, sort, and search so they can quickly find what matters. Good visual design helps just as much. Labels, colors, and spacing guide the eye and make the data easier to scan. And performance is critical. If a table loads slowly or freezes, trust in the product goes away fast.

In one crypto project we redesigned, the platform had to handle thousands of trades at once. At first, the tables were heavy and confusing. By focusing on performance and giving users simple filters, we turned them into something fast and useful. People could finally see what they needed without endless scrolling.

Takeaway: Tables should always come with tools for filtering, sorting, and scanning at a glance. Performance matters as much as presentation.

3. Use Charts to Clarify Trends

Charts are another essential part of fintech products. They help people see patterns and spot changes faster than numbers alone. But charts can also create noise. When every piece of data is turned into a graph, the screen becomes busy and confusing. Instead of insights, users get distractions.

The key is to use charts for clarity, not decoration. A well-placed chart should answer a question at a glance, like which assets are gaining value or where the trading volume is moving. Everything else can stay in the background.

In the exchange project we worked on, this meant showing price trends for the most relevant trading pairs while keeping the rest of the details in tables. By limiting charts to the data that mattered most, the interface felt cleaner and easier to read.

Takeaway: Charts are best used as shortcuts for decision-making. They highlight the big picture so users know where to focus, but they should never compete with the core task on the screen.

4. Break Down Complex Flows Into Clear Steps

Many fintech actions are not simple. Adding liquidity, applying for credit, or setting up recurring payments often involve multiple steps. If everything is shown on one screen, people feel overwhelmed. If the process is broken into too many small actions, they get frustrated and give up.

The balance lies in guiding users through clear, predictable steps. Each step should feel natural and help them understand what comes next. Progress indicators and simple navigation give people confidence that they are on the right track and won’t lose their work halfway.

In our crypto exchange project, liquidity management was one of the trickiest areas. At first, the flow was packed with numbers, tables, and options all at once. By breaking it down into smaller, focused stages, we made it easier to follow. Users could move through the process step by step instead of facing a wall of information.

Takeaway: Step-by-step design reduces friction in complex financial actions. It keeps users confident and prevents mistakes.

5. Design for Context: Mobile and Dark Mode

Fintech platforms are not only used at a desk. People check balances on the go, make trades late at night, and monitor markets for hours at a time. If the design doesn’t fit these contexts, even the best features lose value.

Mobile layouts are one of the first things to consider. A table that looks fine on a desktop can turn into a nightmare on a small screen. Simplifying navigation, hiding secondary details, and keeping the main actions within easy reach make a huge difference.

Another important factor is dark mode. In financial apps, people often spend long sessions looking at numbers and charts. A light-only interface can cause fatigue, while dark mode creates a more comfortable experience in low-light settings.

When we adapted a crypto exchange for mobile and added dark mode, it wasn’t just about convenience. It showed users that the platform was built with their habits in mind. That kind of attention directly increases trust and retention.

Takeaway: Mobile-first layouts and dark mode directly improve usability and retention.

6. Performance as Part of UX

In fintech, speed is part of the experience. People expect to see balances, trades, and analytics instantly. Even short delays can create doubt, and once trust is shaken, it’s hard to win back.

This is why performance should always be treated as a UX priority, not just a technical one. Large datasets, like trading histories or market charts, can easily overload an interface if they are not handled properly. The result is a product that feels heavy, even if the features themselves are strong.

On one crypto platform we improved, performance was a big problem. Tables with thousands of trades loaded slowly, and users had to wait before they could act. By switching to a smarter way of loading data, the interface got much faster. We also redesigned analytics so the most important stats showed up first, with deeper data loading only when needed.

Takeaway: Performance improvements are invisible when they work well, but they make all the difference.

Signs Your App Needs a Redesign

A redesign is a big step, but sometimes it’s the smartest way to move forward. Many teams don’t spot small design problems until they show up as frustrated users, extra support tickets, or slipping business results. Here’s how to tell if it might be time for a change:

Are new users leaving before they get much value?

If people sign up but don’t stick around, something about their first experience isn’t working. Maybe the app feels confusing or it’s hard to find the main feature. A fresh design can help new users get comfortable quicker and find what matters to them.

Do customers complain about complexity in support or reviews?

Feedback like “too many steps” or “it feels messy” means your design might be making things harder than they should be. Making actions easier to find and cutting out extra steps can make a big difference.

Is your app slower than users expect?

If pages take too long to load or tables freeze with large datasets, users lose trust. For fintech products, where money is on the line, this can be a deal-breaker. Often, a redesign is paired with optimization work that makes the product feel smooth again.

Does the product look outdated compared to competitors?

Design trends move fast, and fintech users have high standards. Even if your features work, an outdated look makes people assume the technology is behind, too. A visual refresh signals that the product is modern, cared for, and trustworthy.

Are conversions or retention rates going down?

Metrics often show the problem before you see it yourself. If onboarding conversion is dropping, checkout is abandoned, or retention curves are sliding, the design may not be guiding users properly. Redesigning flows with clearer steps and more focus on the key actions can directly impact business results.

At Stubbs, we help fintech teams spot these issues early and turn complex, data-heavy products into clear and reliable experiences. A smart redesign doesn’t just look better — it helps your business work better, too.