Scope

American Express partnered with Solaris to launch Splitpay, a digital installment feature for cardholders in Germany, enabling users to split purchases into manageable, interest-free payments. As the lead designer, I was responsible for shaping the UX strategy and design execution—spanning discovery, user research, iterative prototyping, and cross-functional delivery. The primary goal was to increase product adoption by improving trust, surfacing product value, and removing friction from the mobile and web onboarding experience.

Process

Splitpay marked Amex’s first installment product in Germany—a market with heightened sensitivity around credit, SCHUFA reporting, and lesser-known banking relationships. We launched the product with Solaris’ infrastructure, but early funnel data revealed conversion barriers:

• 25%+ drop-off before completing KYC

• Low engagement after viewing the landing page

• Confusion around the 0% interest positioning

• Trust blockers around account linking and credit implications

I began with 5-second tests and user interviews to map comprehension gaps, emotional hesitations, and usability issues. These insights shaped hypotheses around copy clarity, onboarding trust signals, and interaction feedback.

Design efforts included:

• Leading prototyping and validation loops to test revised landing flows

• Developing responsive mockups for consumer and SME experiences

• Updating UI feedback to clarify next steps, resolve input errors, and reinforce financial transparency

• Collaborating daily with engineering to ensure feasible and polished delivery across mobile and web

Solution

We launched a fully redesigned onboarding flow that clarified the product’s value, addressed emotional and informational blockers, and aligned with Amex’s brand and compliance expectations.

Impact:

• €2M in loans issued in Q3

• 25–30% projected uplift in onboarding conversion

• €30K saved by building the solution internally rather than outsourcing

• Successfully deployed across both mobile and web for consumer and SME customers

"With Splitpay, our customers are able to use their American Express cards even more flexibly."
— Fabiana Mingrone, General Manager Consumer Services, American Express