Brian Armstrong Identifies UX Bugs In Coinbase App, Plans Upgrades

The rise in on-chain activity on Conbase’s newly launched layer-2 network, Base, has exposed a few critical anomalies in the Coinbase App. 

According to the crypto exchange’s CEO Brain Armstrong, the ongoing “Onchain Summer” revealed that the app’s user experience is bad. Stating this in an August 13 tweet, Brain Armstrong promised to fix the issues through rapid updates in the next two weeks.

Coinbase App To Witness Upgrades In The Coming Weeks To Fix UX-related Challenges

Coinbase is hosting a multi-week festival, tagged “Onchain Summer,” to mark the launch of its layer-2 network, Base. The event features product launches, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), gaming, music, and more and runs from August 9 to 31.

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According to previous reports, Base saw a rapid surge in on-chain activity after its public release on August 9. As of August 10, the network recorded over 136,000 new daily users, the highest since the main net launch in July.

However, according to the CEO’s remarks, Coinbase’s main app for NFTs, Dapps, and layer-2 networks couldn’t contain the sudden surge in activity. He noted that the event has shown the company how weak the app is regarding user experience. As a result, Armstrong urged X (formerly Twitter) users to respond with feedback in areas where they experienced issues so the team could fix them.

Meanwhile, among the feedback, one stood out: FriendtechRacer’s request. Racer requested that Coinbase add an on-ramp credit card offering quick settlements that won’t require users to create separate accounts.

Also, another user requested a fix on a bug that causes connection issues between the Coinbase wallet and Google Chrome. In response to this feedback, Armstrong acknowledged that the so-called bug had lingered more than expected.

Why UX Issues Are Synonymous With Web3 And Blockchain Apps, UI/UX Designer Reveals

Meanwhile, user experience (UX) remains one of the biggest pain points for Web3 app users. It has constituted great concerns for crypto users. In a July 12 tweet, 0xDesigner, a pseudonymous Web3 UI/UX designer, blamed the issue on the irreversible nature of blockchain.

“The most unique challenge the Web3 UX faces is permanence. Unlike Web2, every action taken on the blockchain is irreversible. There’s no undo button on the blockchain and mistakes are expensive,” 0xDesigner explained.

In addition, according to 0xDesigner, unlike Web2, Web3 is complex. Web3 users must understand every detail to avoid making a mistake.

Furthermore, he explained: “Think of it this way: Web2 is like driving an automated car. It’s straightforward; you get in, press the pedal, and off you go. Web3, on the other hand, is more like driving a stick. You need to understand the gears, the clutch and constantly monitor the tachometer. Otherwise, you’ll damage the transmission or stall the car.”

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Although Web3 UX seems complex, 0xDesigner believes it is fixable. He recommended a series of upgrades and changes with smart contracts and NFTs to make wallet creation and management easier.

Moreover, he noted that the rise in consumer apps with new, user-friendly infrastructure signals promising progress.