Hakeem Wallet: Designing for 20M Underserved Users

Hakeem is Pakistan’s leading Shariah-compliant nano-financing and digital wallet. It empowers underserved communities such as small business owners, farmers and womens Tawarruq-based financing, secure digital payments, and financial independence.

Loans alone were not enough. To drive retention and real adoption, Hakeem needed a central hub that:

Expanded beyond nano-lending

Integrated into daily financial routines

Created new revenue streams through payments and value-added services

I designed the Hakeem Wallet, making it the core of the ecosystem:

Instant loan disbursal: Approved funds land directly in the wallet

Everyday services: Bill payments, mobile recharge, digital vouchers

Flexibility: Withdraw to banks, repay loans, or spend in-app

To fuel engagement, we added a Reward Points system:

Pay bills → earn points

Top up or repay loans → earn points

Redeem points for vouchers, discounts, or cash

Designed the wallet to serve 20 million underbanked users across Pakistan

Defined the strategic shift from loan disbursal to a full financial hub

Expanded the roadmap with daily financial services and rewards to drive retention

Created a reward-driven ecosystem to open new revenue streams and boost adoption

Set the foundation for Hakeem’s evolution into a lifestyle finance platform

I'm Ali, a fractional product and design lead for seed to Series A AI startups. I make an AI product's output clear enough that people act on it without a manual. One AI feature I designed lifted user sessions 70%.

If you don't have a head of product or design yet, that's the gap I fill. We can start with a 4-week audit or a monthly retainer.

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