Revolutionizing Money Exchange with Aboki

Aboki is a sleek, easy-to-use mobile application designed for real-time peer-to-peer currency exchange. Whether users are looking to convert Euros to USD, Pounds to Naira, or any other major currency pairing, Aboki provides a secure, instant, and user-friendly platform. The app bridges the gap between formal exchange channels and the agility of local “aboki” (street-level) exchangers, offering both speed and reliability in one streamlined digital product.

The primary goal was to design a mobile app that replicates the speed and convenience of informal currency exchange while maintaining transparency, security, and a modern user experience. Key objectives included:

Designing an intuitive UI for seamless currency selection and conversion.

Integrating live FX rate feeds to ensure real-time accuracy.

Building trust through transaction history, identity verification, and escrow-secured exchanges.

Making the process as fast and smooth as chatting with your local “aboki”—but digital.

Currency exchange apps often face a few challenges: trust, speed, and complexity. Users need to be confident in both the rate and the counterparty. One of the main design challenges was simplifying the entire experience—from rate checking to final payment—into as few steps as possible, while still embedding safety and compliance features. Another challenge was designing an elegant UI for a functionally rich app with rate tracking, wallets, notifications, and user verification.

I approached the project with a user-first mindset, conducting competitor research and identifying gaps in existing exchange apps. Key features I implemented include:

Smart Converter: Instantly shows live rates and allows users to input any currency amount and see equivalent values across multiple currencies.

Exchange Marketplace: Users can browse available exchange offers or post their own, filtered by amount, rate, and preferred payment method.

Escrow System: A built-in wallet and escrow mechanism ensures that funds are only released once both parties confirm the transaction.

User Ratings & KYC: Exchange partners are verified through ID and phone authentication, with reputation scores to promote safe trading.

Push Notifications: Users get alerts when preferred rates are reached or when an offer matches their request.

The final product was a mobile-first experience with a clean interface, minimal friction, and trust-enhancing design. Early user testing revealed a high level of satisfaction, especially for frequent travelers, remittance agents, and international business operators.