SeaBank: automating everyday transfers with scheduled payments
SeaBank: automating everyday transfers with scheduled payments
SeaBank: automating everyday transfers with scheduled payments
I led the design of a recurring transfer feature for SeaBank — enabling users to schedule automated transfers for fixed dates or intervals. This case covers how I integrated the new functionality into an existing money transfer flow, balancing flexibility and clarity for a wide range of financial literacy levels. The goal was to improve reliability for routine payments while maintaining trust and simplicity across a mobile-first user base.
I led the design of a recurring transfer feature for SeaBank — enabling users to schedule automated transfers for fixed dates or intervals. This case covers how I integrated the new functionality into an existing money transfer flow, balancing flexibility and clarity for a wide range of financial literacy levels. The goal was to improve reliability for routine payments while maintaining trust and simplicity across a mobile-first user base.
Role
Product designer
Product designer
Timeline
5 months
5 months
Team
Product Designers, Product Managers, Engineers and Business Development
Product Designers, Product Managers, Engineers and Business Development
What I worked on
Design exploration & prototyping
Cross-functional collaboration
Final design delivery and UAT
Design exploration & prototyping
Cross-functional collaboration
Final design delivery and UAT
SeaBank is a fast-growing digital bank in Indonesia, operated under SeaMoney — the financial services arm of Sea Group. With a mission to drive financial inclusion across Southeast Asia, SeaBank serves a wide range of underbanked individuals and micro-businesses.
Today, SeaBank supports hundreds of millions of users and processes millions of dollars in transactions daily.
SeaBank is a fast-growing digital bank in Indonesia, operated under SeaMoney — the financial services arm of Sea Group. With a mission to drive financial inclusion across Southeast Asia, SeaBank serves a wide range of underbanked individuals and micro-businesses. Today, SeaBank supports hundreds of millions of users and processes millions of dollars in transactions daily.
SeaBank: helping millions build better financial habits
SeaBank: helping millions build better financial habits
SeaBank: helping millions build better financial habits
Problem
Problem
While many users make regular payments, they have no efficient and reliable way to do so with SeaBank.
While many users make regular payments, they have no efficient and reliable way to do so with SeaBank.
“How might we help users quickly set up reliable repeat transfers — without disrupting their familiar flow?”
“How might we help users quickly set up reliable repeat transfers — without disrupting their familiar flow?”
“How might we help users quickly set up reliable repeat transfers — without disrupting their familiar flow?”
Outcome
Outcome
I delivered a streamlined recurring transfer experience that empowered users to automate personal transactions — such as family remittances, loan repayments, or employee disbursements. The solution drove repeat engagement, increased app retention, and aligned with our mission to support underserved users with tools for long-term financial control.
I delivered a streamlined recurring transfer experience that empowered users to automate personal transactions — such as family remittances, loan repayments, or employee disbursements. The solution drove repeat engagement, increased app retention, and aligned with our mission to support underserved users with tools for long-term financial control.
Discovery & Research
Discovery & Research
I partnered with out local research team to uncover:
I partnered with out local research team to uncover:
85%
85%
of SeaBank users make regular transfers
of SeaBank users make regular transfers
Most users move money on a weekly or monthly basis.
Most users move money on a weekly or monthly basis.
56%
56%
of those transfers are to non-unique recipients
of those transfers are to non-unique recipients
Users often send to the same people repeatedly.
Users often send to the same people repeatedly.
43%
43%
of users use recurring transfer features on other apps
of users use recurring transfer features on other apps
These transfers are often for essential purposes — family support, instalments, and investments.
These transfers are often for essential purposes — family support, instalments, and investments.
Business Goals
Business Goals
#1
Increase transfer frequency with a target of +1.2x monthly transfers per user
Increase transfer frequency with a target of +1.2x monthly transfers per user
#2
Improve feature retention — by tracking repeat usage
Improve feature retention — by tracking repeat usage
#3
Stay competitive — most major players in the market already offer this feature
Stay competitive — most major players in the market already offer this feature
Mapping User Needs
Mapping User Needs
#1
Peace of mind — Fewer forgotten payments, less mental load
Peace of mind — Fewer forgotten payments, less mental load
#2
Reliability — Confirmed success states, clear and trustworthy UI
#3
Simplicity & Convenience — From setup to managing recurring transfers
Simplicity & Convenience — From setup to managing recurring transfers
Competitor Benchmarking
Competitor Benchmarking
Partnered with local market research teams to evaluate scheduled transfer features across 8 top digital financial services in Indonesia. These gaps highlighted a clear opportunity for us to stand out:
Partnered with local market research teams to evaluate scheduled transfer features across 8 top digital financial services in Indonesia. These gaps highlighted a clear opportunity for us to stand out:
Limited frequency options
Limited frequency options
Most apps only offered basic settings like weekly or monthly.
Most apps only offered basic settings like weekly or monthly.
Editing limitations
Editing limitations
Only half of competitors let users modify their scheduled transfers.
Only half of competitors let users modify their scheduled transfers.
Lack of reminders
Lack of reminders
Very few apps offered proactive notifications before a scheduled transfer.
Very few apps offered proactive notifications before a scheduled transfer.
Design Principles
Design Principles
To guide our solutions, we established four key design principles. These helped ensure the feature was not just functional — but usable, flexible, and trustworthy.
To guide our solutions, we established four key design principles. These helped ensure the feature was not just functional — but usable, flexible, and trustworthy.
#1
#1
🔁 Fast Familiarity
🔁 Fast Familiarity
Users shouldn't have to relearn how transfers work. Any added feature must feel like a natural extension of existing behaviors.
Users shouldn't have to relearn how transfers work. Any added feature must feel like a natural extension of existing behaviors.
#2
#2
🎛️ Flexible Config
🎛️ Flexible Config
Users have diverse needs — from sending salaries to paying family. Design should adapt without adding bloat.
Users have diverse needs — from sending salaries to paying family. Design should adapt without adding bloat.
#3
#3
📉 Minimize Drop-off
📉 Minimize Drop-off
Guide users through the flow with zero dead ends.
Friction = abandonment.
Guide users through the flow with zero dead ends.
Friction = abandonment.
#4
#4
🥃 Transparent State
🥃 Transparent State
Users must feel in control. They should always know what's scheduled, what’s coming next, and what can be changed.
Users must feel in control. They should always know what's scheduled, what’s coming next, and what can be changed.
Choosing the Right Interaction Model
Choosing the Right Interaction Model
Before designing the UI, we had to understand how users mentally approach transfers. This meant identifying the right flow model — one that aligns with how people actually think and behave. I explored two models:
Before designing the UI, we had to understand how users mentally approach transfers. This meant identifying the right flow model — one that aligns with how people actually think and behave. I explored two models:
Usability Testing & Iterations
Usability Testing & Iterations
To validate the design, we partnered with the local UX research team for moderated sessions in Jakarta, indonesia. This approach combined quantitative and qualitative insights, allowing us to measure performance and understand user sentiment.
To validate the design, we partnered with the local UX research team for moderated sessions in Jakarta, indonesia. This approach combined quantitative and qualitative insights, allowing us to measure performance and understand user sentiment.
Sample Size
Sample Size
20–30 users per key user segment
Urban digital-savvy
Rural users (lower tech familiarity)
Small business users
20–30 users per key user segment
Urban digital-savvy
Rural users (lower tech familiarity)
Small business users
Languages
Languages
Prototypes fully translated into Bahasa
Copy QA’d with local content team
Moderated by native speakers trained in usability observation
Prototypes fully translated into Bahasa
Copy QA’d with local content team
Moderated by native speakers trained in usability observation
Tasks
Tasks
Scenarios reflected cultural use cases, e.g. payday family support)
Scenarios reflected cultural use cases, e.g. payday family support)
Iteration #1 – Clarifying Frequency Options
Iteration #1 – Clarifying Frequency Options
Users, especially in rural segments, didn’t fully understand the difference between options like "Biweekly" and "Monthly." Some assumed “Monthly” meant the same date each month, while others thought it meant every four weeks.
Users, especially in rural segments, didn’t fully understand the difference between options like "Biweekly" and "Monthly." Some assumed “Monthly” meant the same date each month, while others thought it meant every four weeks.
We introduced contextual subtext below each label to spell out what would happen. This reduced hesitation and gave users immediate, date-specific clarity.
We introduced contextual subtext below each label to spell out what would happen. This reduced hesitation and gave users immediate, date-specific clarity.
Iteration #2 – Providing a Clearer Sense of Control with End Dates
Iteration #2 – Providing a Clearer Sense of Control with End Dates
Some users were anxious about not knowing how many payments would go through.
Some users were anxious about not knowing how many payments would go through.
We added a dynamic field labeled Total Transfers, which appears when users define an end date. This gives them an exact count of how many payments will occur.
We added a dynamic field labeled Total Transfers, which appears when users define an end date. This gives them an exact count of how many payments will occur.
Iteration #3 – Surfacing Date Logic for Edge Cases
Iteration #3 – Surfacing Date Logic for Edge Cases
Originally, logic for handling unavailable dates like the 31st was hidden in an info icon. Some users raised questions and a minority abandoned the flow when they weren’t sure.
Originally, logic for handling unavailable dates like the 31st was hidden in an info icon. Some users raised questions and a minority abandoned the flow when they weren’t sure.
We decided to surface this information directly in-line as a short explanatory note. By surfacing the logic directly, we eliminated confusion and boosted trust.
We decided to surface this information directly in-line as a short explanatory note. By surfacing the logic directly, we eliminated confusion and boosted trust.
Final Solution
Final Solution
The final design embedded recurring transfer setup directly into the existing money transfer flow. Users could choose a frequency (daily, weekly, monthly), define an end condition, and review a clear summary before confirming. The design focused on progressive disclosure — surfacing options only when needed — while maintaining clarity, reducing error risk, and ensuring transparency around future deductions.
The final design embedded recurring transfer setup directly into the existing money transfer flow. Users could choose a frequency (daily, weekly, monthly), define an end condition, and review a clear summary before confirming. The design focused on progressive disclosure — surfacing options only when needed — while maintaining clarity, reducing error risk, and ensuring transparency around future deductions.
Results & impact
Results & impact
Here’s what we saw after rollout, 6 months post-launch:
Here’s what we saw after rollout, 6 months post-launch:
27%
27%
of active users adopted scheduled transfers
of active users adopted scheduled transfers
Of those, 61% repeated it — showing behaviour stickiness
Sales teams think in buyer intent; data teams think in statistical signals. We needed to bridge the gap between technical logic and sales narrative.
18%
18%
increase in average monthly transfers per feature user
increase in average monthly transfers per feature user
73%
73%
of users kept the reminder notifications ON
of users kept the reminder notifications ON
A strong signal of perceived value
12%
12%
of users exercised control
of users exercised control
Scheduled transfers were being edited or/and cancelled
