Ziina: A Digital Wallet Bridging Finance and Art

Anton Badashov and Sarah Toukan's Award-Winning Design Revolutionizes Online Payments in Dubai

Anton Badashov and Sarah Toukan, along with their team, were inspired to create Ziina after recognizing the difficulties of online transactions in Dubai. Current solutions required the exchange of IBANs and SWIFT codes, with payments taking up to three days to process. Ziina, on the other hand, offers a user-centric solution that is both technologically advanced and inspired by local culture and architecture.

What sets Ziina apart from other digital wallets is its social aspect. The app's full potential is unlocked when a user's close circle of friends also start using it for payments. To make the experience more enjoyable, the team designed unique 3D illustrations for crucial touchpoints such as onboarding and success states.

The Ziina app was built with accessibility in mind for both iOS and Android platforms. Frequent interaction elements were placed closer to the bottom of the screen for easier single-hand use, and the typography was designed with a minimum size of 15 pt for body text and an accessible contrast ratio.

The app's content is grouped into three sections based on core actions for ease of use. The "Home" tab highlights recent content and transaction history, the "Pay" tab shows a list of contacts along with all incoming payment requests, and the "Receive" tab allows the user to send requests, display a personal QR code, or share a personal payment link.

One of the challenges the team faced was designing an experience that would encourage open discussions about money, a topic often considered taboo in the region. Ziina aims to break down these cultural barriers by incorporating social features and allowing users to include GIFs in their transaction messages, thus removing the awkwardness from financial interactions.

With its minimal look, layered information structure, and navigation, Ziina combines traditional Middle Eastern patterns with bold typography and 3D illustrations, giving the app a unique look that is both local and technologically modern. This groundbreaking design has not only revolutionized online payments in Dubai but has also earned Ziina the prestigious Golden A' Design Award in 2021.