PayPal
Leading a consumer app redesign at a global scale
2026
I designed and launched a major redesign to PayPal’s consumer app, used by millions of customers to make and request payments in-stores and internationally, pool money, split bills, donate and more.
PayPal
Leading a consumer app redesign at a global scale
2026
I designed and launched a major redesign to PayPal’s consumer app, used by millions of customers to make and request payments in-stores and internationally, pool money, split bills, donate and more.
The problem
PayPal’s business - specifically checkout and peer-to-peer payments - have been struggling since Covid, with payments down 30% year over year despite transacting $12M an hour in consumer spending. My mission was to understand where the product has been struggling and how PayPal can gain more market share in a sea of competitors that have emerged in the past 5 years.
The problem
PayPal’s business - specifically checkout and peer-to-peer payments - have been struggling since Covid, with payments down 30% year over year despite transacting $12M an hour in consumer spending. My mission was to understand where the product has been struggling and how PayPal can gain more market share in a sea of competitors that have emerged in the past 5 years.
Above: the old PayPal app
My team inherited a product with deep discoverability and navigation problems and a design that felt dated relative to new incumbents in the fintech space.
Above: the old PayPal app
My team inherited a product with deep discoverability and navigation problems and a design that felt dated relative to new incumbents in the fintech space.
Above: the old PayPal app
My team inherited a product with deep discoverability and navigation problems and a design that felt dated relative to new incumbents in the fintech space.
My role as a leader
I led 3 core areas of PayPal’s consumer mobile experience - Money Movement, Wallet, and In-Store. Money Movement - all the ways to pay and get paid - is the 2nd highest revenue generating product at PayPal after online checkout. In-Store is PayPal’s big bet to regain market share by unlocking payments in groceries, events, airports and more. I built a team that had a mix of mid-career and senior design ICs, steered the overall vision, oversaw execution down to visual QA, and worked with partners on both the strategy and tactics of scaling the product from early testing to a global ramp across 9 top markets in North America, Europe and APAC.
My role as a leader
I led 3 core areas of PayPal’s consumer mobile experience - Money Movement, Wallet, and In-Store. Money Movement - all the ways to pay and get paid - is the 2nd highest revenue generating product at PayPal after online checkout. In-Store is PayPal’s big bet to regain market share by unlocking payments in groceries, events, airports and more. I built a team that had a mix of mid-career and senior design ICs, steered the overall vision, oversaw execution down to visual QA, and worked with partners on both the strategy and tactics of scaling the product from early testing to a global ramp across 9 top markets in North America, Europe and APAC.
My role as a leader
I led 3 core areas of PayPal’s consumer mobile experience - Money Movement, Wallet, and In-Store. Money Movement - all the ways to pay and get paid - is the 2nd highest revenue generating product at PayPal after online checkout. In-Store is PayPal’s big bet to regain market share by unlocking payments in groceries, events, airports and more. I built a team that had a mix of mid-career and senior design ICs, steered the overall vision, oversaw execution down to visual QA, and worked with partners on both the strategy and tactics of scaling the product from early testing to a global ramp across 9 top markets in North America, Europe and APAC.
Money Movement
I led design and product teams (7 product areas, 100+ engineers) to discover more natural ways for users to start their payment journey and discover all the possible options, from international currencies to crypto, pooling friends, and splitting payments.
Money Movement
I led design and product teams (7 product areas, 100+ engineers) to discover more natural ways for users to start their payment journey and discover all the possible options, from international currencies to crypto, pooling friends, and splitting payments.
A global product
We iterated along our internationalization team and local teams to define scalable solutions that would work for 120+ countries in various locales, languages, and currencies, with different use cases from travelers to cross-border payments.
A global product
We iterated along our internationalization team and local teams to define scalable solutions that would work for 120+ countries in various locales, languages, and currencies, with different use cases from travelers to cross-border payments.
A global product
We iterated along our internationalization team and local teams to define scalable solutions that would work for 120+ countries in various locales, languages, and currencies, with different use cases from travelers to cross-border payments.
Themes & Pools
I encouraged the team to find ways to introduce more play and delight in our product, attracting more diverse audiences to the platform through features like Pools and enhanced Themes. CSAT increased to 88% and we say a 23.1% lift in Pools usage vs. the old app as a result of the new design.
Themes & Pools
I encouraged the team to find ways to introduce more play and delight in our product, attracting more diverse audiences to the platform through features like Pools and enhanced Themes. CSAT increased to 88% and we say a 23.1% lift in Pools usage vs. the old app as a result of the new design.
Expression & Personalization
Users can better create more expressive sharing among friends, family and customers, inspiring more engagement and driving new members to the platform.
Expression & Personalization
Users can better create more expressive sharing among friends, family and customers, inspiring more engagement and driving new members to the platform.
Expression & Personalization
Users can better create more expressive sharing among friends, family and customers, inspiring more engagement and driving new members to the platform.
In Store
In-store spans 3 product areas - QR Codes, NFC (Tap to Pay), and Biometrics. It was identified by our CEO as one of the top opportunities for the company, given over 75% of retail still happens with purchases in the real world. I led this pillar like a startup within the company, with 0-1 initiatives that took bigger bets to try to get ahead in international markets where there were greenfield opportunities for double digit growth.
In Store
In-store spans 3 product areas - QR Codes, NFC (Tap to Pay), and Biometrics. It was identified by our CEO as one of the top opportunities for the company, given over 75% of retail still happens with purchases in the real world. I led this pillar like a startup within the company, with 0-1 initiatives that took bigger bets to try to get ahead in international markets where there were greenfield opportunities for double digit growth.
QR Code AI Prototype
Given our experiences were used in the real world, I pushed our team to level up our generative coding skills and prototype directly on device using Claude Code - in this working prototype, we have full control of camera, QR scanning, and real math and logic to mimic transactions, tipping and more.
QR Code AI Prototype
Given our experiences were used in the real world, I pushed our team to level up our generative coding skills and prototype directly on device using Claude Code - in this working prototype, we have full control of camera, QR scanning, and real math and logic to mimic transactions, tipping and more.
QR Code AI Prototype
Given our experiences were used in the real world, I pushed our team to level up our generative coding skills and prototype directly on device using Claude Code - in this working prototype, we have full control of camera, QR scanning, and real math and logic to mimic transactions, tipping and more.
Rapid iterations, positive outcomes
From our July 2025 launch, we gleaned data and on-the-ground insight from our pilot team in Germany. I proactively worked with partners to determine our biggest losses in our onboarding and activation funnel and had our team directly iterate, ship and see noticeable improvement in new and returning users (+21% new user activation).
Rapid iterations, positive outcomes
From our July 2025 launch, we gleaned data and on-the-ground insight from our pilot team in Germany. I proactively worked with partners to determine our biggest losses in our onboarding and activation funnel and had our team directly iterate, ship and see noticeable improvement in new and returning users (+21% new user activation).
Rapid iterations, positive outcomes
From our July 2025 launch, we gleaned data and on-the-ground insight from our pilot team in Germany. I proactively worked with partners to determine our biggest losses in our onboarding and activation funnel and had our team directly iterate, ship and see noticeable improvement in new and returning users (+21% new user activation).
Localized insights and visual solutions
Only 20% of Germany used tap-to-pay. This was an opportunity and a challenge. I inspired the team to use visuals and motion to help unfamiliar users navigate their OS to properly set up both iOS and Android devices to fully unlock tap to pay effectively, lowering the bar to entry (+11% increase in PayPal Wallet set-as-default).
Localized insights and visual solutions
Only 20% of Germany used tap-to-pay. This was an opportunity and a challenge. I inspired the team to use visuals and motion to help unfamiliar users navigate their OS to properly set up both iOS and Android devices to fully unlock tap to pay effectively, lowering the bar to entry (+11% increase in PayPal Wallet set-as-default).
Localized insights and visual solutions
Only 20% of Germany used tap-to-pay. This was an opportunity and a challenge. I inspired the team to use visuals and motion to help unfamiliar users navigate their OS to properly set up both iOS and Android devices to fully unlock tap to pay effectively, lowering the bar to entry (+11% increase in PayPal Wallet set-as-default).
Informing roadmaps through collaboration
I flew product and content design out to work directly with our EMEA team to workshop whats next, prototyping new concepts directly in AI around increased merchant tools and better loyalty and rewards integration into our in-store payment flows.
Informing roadmaps through collaboration
I flew product and content design out to work directly with our EMEA team to workshop whats next, prototyping new concepts directly in AI around increased merchant tools and better loyalty and rewards integration into our in-store payment flows.
Informing roadmaps through collaboration
I flew product and content design out to work directly with our EMEA team to workshop whats next, prototyping new concepts directly in AI around increased merchant tools and better loyalty and rewards integration into our in-store payment flows.
NFC unlocks new revenues streams for PayPal
The long term growth trajectory is the biggest success story in PayPal’s In Store bet to date. The growth in Total Payment Volume (TPV) and acquisition and retention improvements has given leadership confidence we’re ready to scale to other regions, including France, Italy and Spain.
NFC unlocks new revenues streams for PayPal
The long term growth trajectory is the biggest success story in PayPal’s In Store bet to date. The growth in Total Payment Volume (TPV) and acquisition and retention improvements has given leadership confidence we’re ready to scale to other regions, including France, Italy and Spain.
NFC unlocks new revenues streams for PayPal
The long term growth trajectory is the biggest success story in PayPal’s In Store bet to date. The growth in Total Payment Volume (TPV) and acquisition and retention improvements has given leadership confidence we’re ready to scale to other regions, including France, Italy and Spain.
I'm always open to discussing new opportunities, collaborations, and speaking engagements.
© Ron Goldin 2026
I'm always open to discussing new opportunities, collaborations, and speaking engagements.
© Ron Goldin 2026
