Terminal is the liquidity hub powering Ethena’s ecosystem. While exploring their website, I noticed a UX issue that could significantly hurt deposit conversions. So I decided to break it down — here’s the problem, why it matters, and how I’d fix it.

On Terminal, users can pre-deposit to earn receipt tokens like tUSDe and Roots — points that may later turn into an airdrop. Currently, the app supports USDe, WETH, and WBTC deposits on Ethereum. But the real issue sits inside the deposit modal 👀

Let’s break it down.

Here’s the main app screen where you deposit assets to Terminal:

Problem #1: There’s no hint that supported tokens are Ethereum mainnet only.

So you won’t see your balance unless your tokens are on Ethereum — for example, I couldn’t see my WETH balance on Base.

Why does this matter?

Users can get confused — especially now, when most apps support multiple chains.
Until chain abstraction is everywhere, the safest move for apps limited to one or a few networks is to always show the user’s network and the network each token lives on.

Here’s the deposit modal you see after clicking the token dropdown.

Problem #2: If you don’t hold the supported tokens, the app gives you no guidance or solution.

Minor issue: You also won’t see a token’s balance until you click on it (even if you hold it on the mainnet).

This is arguably the bigger problem. The truth is, many users will just quit at this point because the hassle of using a third-party tool to swap or bridge into supported assets is too much for them.

So how would I fix this?

Make deposits easier:

• Offer users more supported options

• Remove the friction of using a bridge or DEX by integrating it directly into Terminal (Which can be done via partners like Enso, Stargate, or Jumper Exchange)

Here’s how I’d approach the deposit modal:

• Offer more deposit options

• Show users their balances upfront (makes deciding what to deposit easier)

• Indicate when indirect deposits incur a small fee (Which is fine, at least users won’t have to handle it themselves)

The end result would look something like this:

Small details like this can make a big impact when done right. This is especially true when the overall user experience for crypto products still has a long way to go. If you’re building a DeFi product, make every action as simple and frictionless as possible for your users.

Do that, and they’ll love you ❤️

___________________________________________________________________________________

If you made it this far, you’re my friend.

I’m just getting started sharing crypto-focused UX insights like this — You can follow me on Twitter for more.

Terminal is the liquidity hub powering Ethena’s ecosystem. While exploring their website, I noticed a UX issue that could significantly hurt deposit conversions. So I decided to break it down — here’s the problem, why it matters, and how I’d fix it.

On Terminal, users can pre-deposit to earn receipt tokens like tUSDe and Roots — points that may later turn into an airdrop. Currently, the app supports USDe, WETH, and WBTC deposits on Ethereum. But the real issue sits inside the deposit modal 👀

Let’s break it down.

Here’s the main app screen where you deposit assets to Terminal:

Problem #1: There’s no hint that supported tokens are Ethereum mainnet only.

So you won’t see your balance unless your tokens are on Ethereum — for example, I couldn’t see my WETH balance on Base.

Why does this matter?

Users can get confused — especially now, when most apps support multiple chains.
Until chain abstraction is everywhere, the safest move for apps limited to one or a few networks is to always show the user’s network and the network each token lives on.

Here’s the deposit modal you see after clicking the token dropdown.

Problem #2: If you don’t hold the supported tokens, the app gives you no guidance or solution.

Minor issue: You also won’t see a token’s balance until you click on it (even if you hold it on the mainnet).

This is arguably the bigger problem. The truth is, many users will just quit at this point because the hassle of using a third-party tool to swap or bridge into supported assets is too much for them.

So how would I fix this?

Make deposits easier:

• Offer users more supported options

• Remove the friction of using a bridge or DEX by integrating it directly into Terminal (Which can be done via partners like Enso, Stargate, or Jumper Exchange)

Here’s how I’d approach the deposit modal:

• Offer more deposit options

• Show users their balances upfront (makes deciding what to deposit easier)

• Indicate when indirect deposits incur a small fee (Which is fine, at least users won’t have to handle it themselves)

The end result would look something like this:

Small details like this can make a big impact when done right. This is especially true when the overall user experience for crypto products still has a long way to go. If you’re building a DeFi product, make every action as simple and frictionless as possible for your users.

Do that, and they’ll love you ❤️

___________________________________________________________________________________

If you made it this far, you’re my friend.

I’m just getting started sharing crypto-focused UX insights like this — You can follow me on Twitter for more.