A straight-through digital onboarding journey for new-to-bank customers in Hong Kong. The account opens right at the end of the flow — no paperwork, no branch visit, in about seven minutes.
For a new-to-bank (NTB) customer, opening an account traditionally meant a branch visit, forms, and waiting. That friction is exactly where prospective customers give up. The goal: a straight-through digital process a first-time customer could complete alone, on their phone, and walk away with a working account.
The design problem was trust and clarity under regulation. Identity verification, eligibility, and legal disclosure all have to happen — without the journey ever feeling heavy or confusing.
Show how long it takes and exactly what's needed before the customer starts, so nothing feels like a surprise.
Each screen asks for one clear thing — eligibility, ID, contact, signature — so cognitive load stays low.
Close with an unambiguous success state — the account number, and what happens next.
The full straight-through flow, as a customer experiences it on the mobile app.
Explains the product and its benefits before any commitment.
Sets a 7-minute expectation, plus eligibility and documents to have ready.
Previews the six moves ahead so the path feels short and known.
Guided photo of the HKID with a clear frame and auto-capture.
Address and contact, with a smart toggle to reuse the same address.
Confirms the new account number and what arrives next — card, PIN, banking.
ID verification is the step most likely to fail or frustrate. A clear capture frame, an auto-capture cue, and plain-language instruction ("a valid HKID", "a blank piece of paper with your signature") turned a compliance requirement into a calm, guided moment — protecting completion at the riskiest point in the journey.