Overview

Traditional banking onboarding is built on a Web 2.0 identity model: long forms, repetitive data entry, opaque verification steps, and minimal user control.
For non-technical users, the process often feels slow, confusing, and intrusive.

My research explored a simple question:

Can Decentralised Identity (DID) make KYC easier, faster, and more trustworthy?

Using a mixed-methods UX approach, I compared a Web 2.0 KYC flow (based on Coinbase) with a DID-based onboarding flow using verifiable credentials.

DID onboarding was 4× faster, more usable, and significantly more trusted.

Context

My interest in digital identity grew during my time at hello.cv, where I led product operations for a national domain registry connected to government infrastructure.
Repeatedly, I saw how traditional ID systems — fragmented, centralised, and opaque — limited what users could do.

The Problem

Traditional Web 2.0 KYC flows create friction because they:

• require users to repeatedly re-enter information
• lack progress indicators
• hide what happens behind the scenes
• force users to upload the same documents everywhere
• fail to communicate what will be required upfront
• rely on long, linear, opaque steps
  

Decentralised identity offers a radically different model — but users struggle with:

• unfamiliar wallet concepts
• key/credential management
• unclear value
• new mental models

How do we design DID for real people, not blockchain experts?

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Research Approach

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