Umoja Labs built a non-custodial asset-hedging protocol designed for the $8 trillion MSME financing sector in emerging markets — automating risk management for crypto, fiat, and tokenized real-world assets. We partnered with the CEO in early 2023 to design the protocol dApp and landing page, and the work has since expanded into an ongoing relationship covering new features, marketing pages, and product evolution.

The core challenge: make complex hedging mechanics accessible. In a space crowded with financial products trying to look slick, we pushed for warmth and clarity instead — soft palettes, trust-building interfaces, and a design system that feels calm rather than cold. We explored four style directions before landing on one that balanced credibility with approachability.

We redesigned the borrower onboarding flow after watching competitors force users through clunky single-field forms with zero progress indicators. Our version splits the process into four clear steps with logical field grouping, a progress bar, and supportive microcopy that encourages borrowers to fill out complete profiles — better data means better loan approval odds. Across the dApp, we built a consistent pool structure: every screen puts status front and center in a card on the right, so whether you're requesting a loan, making a payment, or tracking an investment, you always know where you are in the flow.

The result: a protocol interface that doesn't feel like a protocol interface. Clear, intuitive, and built for growth.