The evolution of Carrot Credit represents a paradigm shift in the intersection of investment management and consumer liquidity. At its core, the platform addresses a fundamental market inefficiency known as the liquidity paradox, wherein individual investors possess substantial net worth in financial assets yet suffer from periodic cash flow constraints.

Traditionally, the resolution to this constraint required the liquidation of assets, a process fraught with disadvantageous outcomes including the disruption of long-term compounding interest, the triggering of capital gains tax liabilities, and the risks associated with unfavorable market timing. The design mandate for Carrot Credit was to architect a seamless bridge between these illiquid investment portfolios and immediate, spendable credit, thereby transforming the utility of a modern brokerage account from a static vault into a dynamic source of revolving capital.

This comprehensive analysis details the strategic design journey from the initial zero-to-one implementation to the sophisticated multi-partner, multi-currency V3 ecosystem.

01. Project Overview: The Mission of Carrot Credit

As the Founding Product Designer, I was tasked with architecting Carrot Credit from a zero-to-one implementation into a sophisticated V3 ecosystem. The platform’s core mission is to bridge the gap between long-term investment portfolios and immediate liquidity. By leveraging partner-held assets, we transformed the modern brokerage account from a "static vault" into a "dynamic engine of growth". My role extended beyond visual design; I was responsible for the logical frameworks, system architecture, and operational workflows that allowed complex financial transactions to feel as simple and safe as a tap on a screen.

02. Defining the problem: Investment-backed consumers locked out of traditional credit - The Liquidity Paradox and the Founders Design Vision

The foundational design challenge was a market inefficiency known as the Liquidity Paradox. High-net-worth individual investors often find themselves asset-rich but cash-poor, forced to choose between liquidating their portfolios or suffering from cash flow constraints.

• The Disadvantage of Liquidation: Traditionally, obtaining cash meant selling assets, which disrupts long-term compounding, triggers capital gains tax liabilities, and exposes investors to unfavorable market timing.
• The Trust Gap: The "authorization bridge" is the highest-friction point in the fintech conversion funnel. Users are naturally hesitant to grant a third-party application access to their lifetime savings.
• System Fragmentation: As the product grew into a multi-partner ecosystem, users faced "information overload"—struggling to track multiple loans across different currencies (NGN/USD) and different brokerage partners like Chaka and Bamboo.

Duration

12 Months

Platform

Web ( Responsive for mobile devices)

Deliverables

Research

Wireframes

Prototypes

Design System

Collaborated with

Product Managers

User Researchers

Data Analyst

Product Designers

03. Objective: Unlocking credit through portfolios with trust, speed, and flexibility

I set out to design and develop a user-centric, scalable platform for Carrot that would make credit more accessible by leveraging users’ investment portfolios. The goal was to bridge the gap between digital asset ownership and everyday liquidity needs, enabling users to access credit without liquidating their investments.

The platform needed to offer a seamless borrowing experience—with real-time portfolio assessments, transparent loan terms, and automated repayment flows—all while integrating securely with investment partners. By focusing on trust, speed, and flexibility, the solution aimed to redefine what credit could look like for the modern investor and position Carrot as a leading innovator in embedded finance across emerging markets.