Flag

We stand with Ukraine and our team members from Ukraine. Here are ways you can help

Get exclusive access to thought-provoking articles, bonus podcast content, and cutting-edge whitepapers. Become a member of the UX Magazine community today!

Home ›› Business Value and ROI ›› 6 Key Questions to Guide International UX Research ›› Coin Builds a Bridge, Can it Cross the Divide?

Coin Builds a Bridge, Can it Cross the Divide?

by Elias Parker
3 min read
Share this post on
Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Save

Coin, a smart credit card that promises to eliminate wallet-bulge, is an idea so smart it might help itself become obsolete.

A truly novel and exciting innovation crossed a lot of screens yesterday, as news of Coin broke.

Imagine, all of those credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, and loyalty cards making your wallet bulge loaded on to one smart card that can be run through virtually any card-reader. That’s Coin.

A button on the face of the Coin card toggles between all the cards you have stored. You load them onto the card using a card reader that plugs into your phone. Leave your coin behind and your phone alerts you once you’ve walked out of range. Pretty damn genius, and the video rollout makes a strong case for proliferation.

Coin will retail for $100 and the internal battery lasts for two years, making it a bit of investment. While Time magazine calls it an “ongoing expense” it’s fair to wonder if Coin in its current form will even exist in two years.

The problem Coin so sweetly solves is one that persists as the world tries to reconcile aging analog solutions with new digital capabilities. As a side effect of its awesomeness, Coin points out that a wallet full of credit cards feels a little more ridiculous every day in a world where smartphones can manage interactions far more complex that transferring credit data.

Like Square—which has liberated many small businesses by putting the power to run credit and debit cards literally into the palm of your hand—Coin is a solution so good that it paves the way to making itself obsolete.

In his recent UX Magazine article The Internet of Things and the Mythical Smart Fridge” Avi Itzkovitch imagines a world where products tagged with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags will make every single piece of merchandise a unique little information beacon.

“This technology will enable consumers to shop without standing in a checkout line,” he writes. “Simply by placing items into an RFID-enabled cart, the consumer will know the total cost of his or her groceries and will be able to pay with a swipe of a phone and a smile.”

This alternate reality, or one similar to it, doesn’t seem too far away on the horizon, and in the most comprehensive look at Coin so far, Nick Statt, a staff writer at CNET, brings this point to Coin CEO and founder Kanishk Prashar.

 

As for whether or not Coin will be part of the inevitable future in which payments are all consolidated and likely done so on our smartphones, Parashar is not so much short-sighted as he is focused “Right now the only thing I think about is delivering these and having them function,” [Prashar] said. “When it comes to the future, we’ll make a decision based on where we lay in the land. But we pack all the technology inside Coin to generate next-generation experiences.”

So while Coin’s future might be uncertain, with an idea this good, it’s not hard to imagine a pivot that keeps them in the game.

[google_ad:WITHINARTICLE_1_234X60_ALL]

Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Related Articles

Consistency in UI/UX builds trust and efficiency — without it, users feel lost. Learn how top brands maintain it and how AI can help.

Article by Rodolpho Henrique
Consistency in UI/UX Design: The Key to User Satisfaction
  • The article examines the role of consistency in UI/UX design for user trust and efficiency.
  • It showcases visual, functional, and interaction consistency in creating seamless experiences.
  • The piece warns about the negative effects of inconsistency, including confusion and frustration.
  • It promotes the use of AI and design systems to ensure consistency across digital platforms.
Share:Consistency in UI/UX Design: The Key to User Satisfaction
4 min read

If Mobile-First thinking has revolutionized the UX Design industry, AI-First is promising to be an even more spectacular kick in the pants.

Article by Greg Nudelman
The Rise of AI-First Products
  • The article explores how AI-powered operating systems are changing user interactions.
  • It covers AI-driven personalization, automation, and adaptive interfaces.
  • The piece discusses challenges like privacy, over-reliance on AI, and user control.
  • It highlights opportunities to design more intuitive and human-centered AI experiences.
Share:The Rise of AI-First Products
11 min read

AI is reshaping UX, and Figma may be sinking. As AI-driven systems minimize UI, traditional design roles must evolve — or risk becoming obsolete. Are you ready to adapt?

Article by Greg Nudelman
AI Is Flipping UX Upside Down: How to Keep Your UX Job, and Why Figma is a Titanic (It’s not for the Reasons You Think)
  • The article explores the fundamental shift in UX as AI-first systems minimize the role of UI, rendering traditional design tools like Figma increasingly obsolete.
  • It introduces the “Iceberg UX Model,” illustrating how modern AI-driven interfaces prioritize functionality and automation over visual design.
  • The piece argues that UX professionals must shift their focus from UI aesthetics to AI-driven user experience, emphasizing use case validation, AI model integration, and data-informed decision-making.
  • It warns that designers who remain fixated on pixel-perfect layouts risk becoming obsolete, urging them to adapt by engaging in AI-driven UX strategies.
Share:AI Is Flipping UX Upside Down: How to Keep Your UX Job, and Why Figma is a Titanic (It’s not for the Reasons You Think)
7 min read

Join the UX Magazine community!

Stay informed with exclusive content on the intersection of UX, AI agents, and agentic automation—essential reading for future-focused professionals.

Hello!

You're officially a member of the UX Magazine Community.
We're excited to have you with us!

Thank you!

To begin viewing member content, please verify your email.

Tell us about you. Enroll in the course.

    This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Check our privacy policy and