Digital Banking Sharia: Aladin Bank
Creating a Sharia-compliant mobile banking experience tailored to the needs of young Muslims in Indonesia, built for trust, transparency, and financial inclusion.
Role
Product Design Lead
Industry
Digital Banking
Duration
3 Months
Background
In 2020, I worked with a financial institution to design a Sharia-compliant digital banking platform tailored to Indonesia’s young Muslim population.
Despite Indonesia being home to the world’s largest Muslim population (88% of ~273M), Sharia banking accounted for only 5.8% of total banking assets and 6% of third-party funds (DPK) [OJK, 2020]. The low penetration highlighted a gap between user values and existing offerings.
Our goal: Build a modern, ethical, mobile-first banking experience that resonates with Gen Z and millennials, combining Sharia principles with intuitive design.
The Challenge
How might we design an inclusive, Sharia-compliant digital bank that feels modern, accessible, and trustworthy for Muslim millennials and Gen Z in Indonesia, especially for those who value both benefit and belief?
My Role
As the Product Design Lead, I led:
UX research: stakeholder interviews, market benchmarking, and survey analysis
Persona development and journey mapping
End-to-end flow design: onboarding, transfers, savings, zakat
Creation of mobile-first UI and visual design system
Collaboration with engineers, business leads, and Sharia advisors to ensure compliance and execution
Research Highlights
Key Data (Survey, 157 Muslim users – Jakarta, 2020)
60% didn’t own a Sharia bank account
• 52% didn’t understand the benefits
• 20% were simply not interested40% had Sharia accounts for: religion, Hajj/KPR, or free fees
65% used digital banking (mostly Jenius, praised for ease of use)
95 respondents were interested in a Sharia-compliant digital bank
56% preferred payment features (Product A)
20% preferred structured savings (Product B)
Qualitative Insights
Sharia banking felt outdated or hard to use for young users
Convenience came first; values were seen as a bonus
Zakat & donations felt disconnected from banking
No existing digital bank fully addressed the Sharia experience
Personas
Four Muslim Mindsets (Inventure.id Framework):
Persona Type | Behavior & Motivation |
|---|---|
Rationalist | "What do I get?" – prioritizes features, convenience |
Universalist | Balances functionality with Sharia values – ideal target user |
Conformist | Highly observant; will only use fully Halal-endorsed products |
Apathist | Low awareness/interest in product identity |
Target Focus:
Universalists & Rationalists among Muslim Millennials & Gen Z
These users value modern functionality, but also appreciate ethical alignment
User Needs Table – Bank Aladin Syariah App
Need Category | User Need | Why It Matters | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
Account Access | Fast, easy onboarding without video calls | Users want instant setup; video calls are seen as slow and intrusive | ⭐️ High |
Security & Trust | Clear sharia compliance and transparent transactions | Builds credibility and addresses skepticism around digital banking | ⭐️ High |
Core Transactions | Easy transfers, QRIS payments, and balance checking | Core use case for digital banking, especially among Gen Z | ⭐️ High |
Fee Transparency | No hidden fees, no minimum balance, no admin fees | Digital-native users expect fee-free service like in Jenius or DANA | ⭐️ High |
Sharia Integration | Confidence in no-Riba savings, compliant contracts | Many prefer sharia banking but don’t understand how it's different—clarity boosts adoption | ⭐️ High |
Digital Experience | Simple UI, mobile-first design, low-data UI | Especially important for rural and cost-conscious users | ⭐️ High |
Product Education | Clear copy and guidance on how sharia principles apply | Users want to learn but prefer light, contextual education rather than dense blocks of text | Medium - Next MVP |
Donations & Impact | Built-in Zakat/Infaq/Sadaqah with impact tracking | Taps into Indonesia’s generosity culture and differentiates the product | Medium - Next MVP |
Financial Goals | Goal-based savings (Hajj, Umrah, Emergency fund) | Motivates savings habits, adds value beyond just storing money | Medium - Next MVP |
Rewards & Cashback | Personalized promos, cashback on key spending | Expected in competitive fintech landscape; appeals to Rationalist users | Medium |
Transaction Summary | Cardless receipts, printable/exportable history | Gives users better visibility and confidence | Medium |
Design Principles
Clarity First – Explain Sharia in simple terms
Seamless Flow – Mobile-first, frictionless UX
Values Embedded – Zakat, Infaq, and ethical use built-in
Inclusive, Not Exclusive – Designed for all Muslims, not just the deeply observant
Key Features & UX Flows
Onboarding
Personalized greeting and goal setup
Simple Sharia explanation with illustrations
Zakat & charity profile included from the start
Payments & Transfers
Free interbank transfers
QRIS integration
Zero hidden admin fees
Savings & Goals
Structured savings - Next MVP
Automated deposits - Next MVP
All funds invested through Sharia-compliant instruments
Giving & Impact
Built-in Zakat and donation tracker - Next MVP
Impact updates (e.g., “Your Zakat helped 3 families this month”)
Recurring giving plans with flexibility
Outcomes
Delivered high-fidelity mobile screens and UX documentation for MVP
Created a scalable design system adopted across marketing and product teams
Helped shape the strategy to reach over 127 million Gen Z and millennial Muslim users
Prepared flows for rollout of Zakat & savings goals features in Phase 2
Growth & Onboarding Highlights
Onboarding target (Year 1): ~1 million users
Verified users by December 2022: 225,000+ users
App Launch: Aladin Syariah officially launched in 2021 and is available on Google Play and App Store
The app was designed to be 100% digital, enabling users to open accounts, make payments, save, and donate, all without visiting a physical bank branch
Key Learnings from Early Users
Limited Use Cases Affected Engagement
In the first year, the available features were limited to transfers, savings, and debit card issuance.
As a result, the average transaction per user per month was only ~4x.Smoothest Onboarding Experience in the Market
Aladin’s onboarding flow stood out in the industry for its speed and simplicity, thanks to the use of in-app liveness verification (no video calls required).
This led to high satisfaction and faster conversion rates.Deliberately Step-by-Step Transfer Flow
The transfer journey was intentionally broken into step-by-step screens to help new digital banking users understand and feel confident.In Year 2, after users became more familiar, we optimized and shortened the flow.
Copywriting Needed Refinement
The initial tone was too casual and wordy, making some screens feel cluttered or unclear.Future iterations focused on more compact, clear, and action-driven messaging.
What I Learned
This project reinforced the idea that ethical principles and product convenience aren’t mutually exclusive.
I learned how to:
Bridge the gap between religious compliance and UX simplicity
Design for trust, transparency, and impact
Collaborate deeply with stakeholders beyond product, including Sharia advisors, legal teams, and educators
It was a reminder that inclusive, culturally-sensitive design is a business advantage, not a limitation.
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