Building a web3 stock exchange from the ground up
Website
Timeline
October 2022 - January 2024
Type
Product Strategy, Branding, Design System and UI, Web Application
Country
United States
Industry
web3
DCLEX approached 10Clouds to help them build a groundbreaking stock exchange that would use blockchain to provide secure and transparent trading.
The work would include product inception, branding and visual communication. It would also cover UI design, service design, development, and providing blockchain support.
Services
Technologies
Project in numbers
Discovery sessions
groups of needs
competitors analyzed
Introduction and Goals
DCLEX is a revolutionary blockchain-based stock exchange, where users settle trades with USDC. Then, they can withdraw their stocks to hold them in their Ethereum account. The platform focuses on transaction safety and lets you hold securities in self-custody. The democratization of stock trading lies at the heart of the platform as DCLEX presents a community-driven approach. Its users make decisions about the product's future together.
Our team started with a series of product discovery workshops. The aim was to establish the mission and vision of the product, develop the business idea, create a unique value proposition, and design a complete service blueprint. At the same time, the development team was conducting research on blockchain and the stock market.
The 10Clouds' design team worked independently, focusing on branding, UX, and UI of the web app and the product’s landing page.
The final deliverables included a service blueprint, a market research report, a blueprint for future marketing efforts, a simple design system, a landing page, a responsive web app, full branding along with a brand guide, and main 3D visuals.
Challenges
At first, the client proposed developing a metaverse-based stock exchange aimed at users without traditional banking access. However, as the project started, we encountered legal and technical challenges that made it impossible to proceed as originally planned. Through our exploratory phase, we identified an alternative market and target audience for the project.
The findings led to a new business direction. The new user group shaped the basis for the change in product development and future marketing efforts. This required not only a deep dive into technical and market feasibility but also the development of a unique value proposition that would distinguish DCLEX in both traditional and decentralized finance markets.
Crafting an intuitive UI posed another challenge. We had to balance the accessibility for newcomers and depth for experienced stock traders. Prioritizing features for the MVP, based on user stories and market research, was crucial to ensure the platform's core concept was effectively validated.
On top of that, we had to integrate blockchain technology and provide robust AWS maintenance, which demanded advanced technical solutions and strategic foresight to achieve the project's goals of security, transparency, and scalability.
The Process
The Process
Product Discovery
Strategic MVP Design & Development
Platform Design
Deliverables
Branding and initial wireframes
Our team crafted a distinctive brand identity for DCLEX, including a logo, a main visual, and a basic brand guide. We also created 3D illustrations and initial wireframes, laying the visual and structural groundwork for the web application and the landing page.
Web application and a landing page
Our efforts resulted in the development of the web application and a landing page, utilizing ReactJS for the front end and Python for the back end. Supported by AWS infrastructure and integrating blockchain technology, we delivered a secure, scalable, and engaging platform for stock trading.
Design system and UI
We developed a cohesive design system that established a consistent visual language across the platform, incorporating art direction and motion design. This system guided the creation of a user-friendly and visually appealing user interface.
Business impact
The collaboration between DCLEX and 10Clouds resulted in the creation of a blockchain-based stock market platform that really stands out. It aimed at merging what a traditional stock exchange and decentralized finance have best to offer.
DCLEX is now in the pre-launch phase. It is bound to offer users a secure and transparent trading experience, combining the benefits of DeFi with the familiarity and compliance of traditional financial markets. The platform stands out with its intuitive user interface and seamless integration of blockchain technology.
What is worth mentioning is that DCLEX returned to us after the first project that resulted in preparing the service blueprint. Our work was well-received and we could return to our client, this time offering to DCLEX wide design services.
Looking for an end-to-end development of your groundbreaking financial product? Count us in.
Check other case studies
TuitionHero
TuitionHero emerges as a pioneering online marketplace dedicated to simplifying the search for student financial aid. By offering a platform where students can quickly compare and select from a variety of student loans and refinancing options, TuitionHero stands out as a friendly guide in the complex world of student finance.
DCLEX
DCLEX approached 10Clouds to help them build a groundbreaking stock exchange that would use blockchain to provide secure and transparent trading. The work would include product inception, branding and visual communication. It would also cover UI design, service design, development, and providing blockchain support.
10Clouds AI Assistant
10Clouds Assistant is a powerful tool that can collect data from company handbooks, employee information, project details, and more to provide instant feedback. The process of creating this tool involved several stages, such as downloading data from the Confluence API and saving it to a PostgreSQL database. Next, we cleared the data of HTML tags and added it to Pinecone using Llama-index, a library for importing data. Our AI tool can quickly and accurately provide users with the information they need, making it an invaluable asset for any organization.
