Turning Lending Into Our Main Revenue, Part 2. Expanding Access

At albo, a digital banking platform serving 3M+ users that drove $267M+ in loan originations, most users couldn't access lending simply because they hadn't reached N3, our fully verified profile level. That meant abea, our lending product, was invisible to the majority of users.

The goal: make lending feel accessible and achievable regardless of starting point.

We uncovered a visibility gap, and it wasn't just confusing. It felt unfair.

Only N3 users could see loans. Everyone else hit a dead end, with no explanation or way forward.

Previously, the only way to upgrade was a single banner reading "Complete your profile" with no context or motivation.

I joined a Facebook group where albo users were sharing frustrations about lending access.

This was more than a UX problem. It was a trust problem. Users didn't understand why some people got loan offers and others didn't.

Where Users Were Getting Stuck

Mapping the lending flow revealed exactly where each profile level hit a wall and why most users never made it to a loan offer.

We surfaced loan offers to all users, even those who weren't fully verified. Instead of hiding lending behind a wall, we flipped the model: show users what they could get, then guide them through only what was missing.

We placed banners and cards across the app to proactively guide users toward abea.

Touchpoint Examples

We placed banners and cards in the moments users were most likely to need money, creating natural entry points to lending across the entire app.

Card tab

Service payments

Money transfers

Home banner

Product card

Push notification

A dynamic experience that guided users from discovery to loan approval.

This project reinforced a simple but powerful truth: you can't help users if they don't know what's available to them.