Case Study: Fintech + Crypto

Designing the Criterion Crypto Index

Visualizing proprietary cryptocurrency indexes for institutional and retail investors.

Criterion Fund Interface Overview

Role

Lead Product Designer

Timeline

2018 (Original Design)

Target Market

Crypto-curious investors & LPs

Product

Proprietary Crypto Indexes (Large, Mid, Small)

The Ask

Translate complex financial rebalancing data into a clean, trustworthy UI.

Core Tech

Real-time Market Data, Volume-Weighted Avg Pricing

The Challenge

The Criterion Fund required a professional interface to track three proprietary indexes: LargeCoin (10), MidCoin (C20/10), and SmallCoin (C20/30). The primary challenge was displaying high density financial data—market caps, price changes, and circulating supply, while maintaining a sense of institutional stability in a volatile market.

How might we present complex rebalancing logic and index performance in a way that builds immediate trust with Limited Partners?

Index Architecture

The design system utilized a structured tiered approach to segment the market:

  • LargeCoin (10): The top 10 eligible cryptocurrencies by current market cap.
  • MidCoin (C20/10): The next largest 20 cryptocurrencies after the C10.
  • SmallCoin (C20/30): The next largest 20 cryptocurrencies after the C20/10.
Criterion Index Details and Fees

Rebalancing Transparency

Trust in fund management comes from transparency. We designed a specific section for Index Rebalancing to explain the "how" and "when" behind the numbers:

  • Frequency: Monthly rebalancing on the 1st business day after the 21st.
  • Data Integrity: Volume-weighted USD markets from eligible exchanges.
  • Calculations: 10-day volume-weighted average market capitalization to smooth out volatility.

The Visual Language

To align with the "Criterion" brand, we opted for a deep teal and white palette. This departure from the typical "neon" crypto aesthetic helped position the fund as a serious financial entity. Data visualizations focused on historical trends (OCT '17 - JUL '18) to show long-term growth patterns rather than just intraday noise.

Historical Performance Charts

Clarity over Clutter: We prioritized the "Weight %" and "24h Change" to give investors an instant snapshot of index health.

The Outcome

The resulting platform provided a professional "home base" for investors to monitor the fund's strategy. By clearly articulating management fees (2-3%) and performance benchmarks, the UI reduced the friction often found in crypto-investment onboarding.

  • Standardized Reporting: Created a repeatable UI pattern for adding new index products.
  • Investor Confidence: Documented the methodology directly on the performance page to reduce support inquiries.
  • Brand Authority: Established Criterion Fund as an early leader in systematic crypto-index management.