FATCA-CRS Compliance Flow for Tide App

International regulations require financial institutions to report certain financial data of customers with US ties to the appropriate tax authorities.

As a Product Designer at Tide, a UK-based fintech company providing business-to-business current accounts, I was tasked with developing a feature that would allow Tide to comply with the FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) and CRS (Common Reporting Standard) requirements.

These international regulations require financial institutions to report certain financial data of customers with US ties to the appropriate tax authorities. Tide needed a way to collect and share this information securely with US-based authorities, ensuring that the process was simple and clear for users, while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Project Overview

Tide must gather data on whether customers or any of their company's shareholders have ties to US-based businesses. Many of our users are small business owners with limited knowledge of tax compliance, so the challenge was to create an experience that guides users through the FATCA-CRS process without overwhelming them.

Problem Statement

Ensure full compliance with FATCA-CRS regulations by collecting relevant data from Tide users.
Create a simple, user-friendly flow that minimizes confusion and helps users understand the importance of their responses.
Maintain a secure and confidential environment for users to provide sensitive information.

Objectives

Through internal discussions with the compliance team and interviews with a small group of Tide business users, I gained the following insights:

Research & Insights

User Concerns

Information Overload

Presenting too much information at once leads to user anxiety and confusion.

Trust and Security

Users are highly concerned about sharing sensitive shareholder data, especially regarding US tax authorities.

Many users are not familiar with FATCA or CRS, so clear explanations are necessary.

How do we explain FATCA and CRS regulations without overwhelming users with legal jargon?

Challenges

Clarity

Ease of Use

How do we make the process as straightforward and quick as possible?

How do we ensure users feel confident in sharing sensitive information?

Trust

I started by mapping out the entire user journey, from the point where users first encounter the FATCA-CRS request to the completion of the flow. Key moments included:

Design Process

Introduction and explanation of FATCA and CRS.
Asking users if they or any shareholders have ties to the US.
Gathering detailed information if the user answers “yes.”
Providing a review screen for users to confirm their data before submission.

User Flow Mapping

A simple introduction explaining why we need this information and assuring users of data privacy.

Introduction Screen

Final Design & Features

Users are asked a series of Yes/No questions, such as "Do you or any of your shareholders have ties to US businesses?" If the answer is “yes,” further fields appear to capture more specific details.

Step-by-Step Process

Users can review their information and make changes before submission.

Review & Confirmation

Users appreciated the step-by-step process and found the language clear and non-threatening.

Simplicity

User Testing

Security Messaging

The emphasis on data security helped build trust and reduced user hesitancy.

I conducted usability tests with 10 Tide business account users who were unfamiliar with FATCA and CRS and find out some interesting facts about design.

Some users suggested simplifying a few questions, which led to small iterations in the wording.

Minor Adjustments

The FATCA-CRS flow was rolled out to all Tide business users, and feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The design helped streamline the compliance process while maintaining user trust. In the months following the launch, over 95% of users successfully completed the flow without needing customer support assistance.

Final Outcome

of users who started the flow completed it.

80%

support tickets dropped related to FATCA-CRS

satisfaction rate Post-interaction surveys

72%

90%

Learnings & Next Steps

This project taught me the importance of balancing regulatory requirements with user-centered design. By focusing on clear communication, simplicity, and trust-building, I was able to create a feature that met both business and user needs.

Moving forward, we plan to continue iterating based on user feedback and explore ways to further streamline compliance processes in the app.

This Project highlights how thoughtful design can turn a potentially stressful regulatory requirement into a seamless user experience.