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.