HODL – Buy Now, Pay Never
The Brief
HODL Store is a novel financial primitive built on top of Pendle, allowing users to split their crypto into principal + yield components, lock the principal, and spend the yield today.
The platform issues store credit via gift cards or Shopify plugins, giving users immediate purchasing power while preserving long-term holdings.
This model appeals to long-term crypto holders who don't want to sell, bridging DeFi protocols and consumer spending.
What We Did
- Product Strategy + Positioning: Defined core user journey and “Buy Now, Pay Never” messaging. Clarified psychological wedge: "feels like free money".
- UX Design: Designed end-to-end flow from asset selection → yield calculation → store credit issuance → lock confirmation. Prioritized clarity around trust, gas, and unlock timelines.
- Landing Page & Pitch Design: Created marketing copy and landing site that clearly communicated a non-obvious mechanism to both normies and crypto-native users.
- API & Ecosystem Thinking: Scoped future Shopify/commerce plugins that allow stores to embed this protocol natively—turning HODL into a backend DeFi engine for web2 brands.
Outcome
- Working prototype complete with Figma designs, technical architecture, and landing page
- Prepped for integration with Pendle API for real-time yield rates and lock-up logic
- Positioned to launch as a Shopify app and/or gift card marketplace
- Actively seeking design partners and early adopters in DeFi commerce
Project brief
HODL Store is a novel financial primitive built on top of Pendle, allowing users to split their crypto into principal + yield components, lock the principal, and spend the yield today.
The platform issues store credit via gift cards or Shopify plugins, giving users immediate purchasing power while preserving long-term holdings.
This model appeals to long-term crypto holders who don't want to sell, bridging DeFi protocols and consumer spending.
What we did
- Product Strategy + Positioning: Defined core user journey and “Buy Now, Pay Never” messaging. Clarified psychological wedge: "feels like free money".
- UX Design: Designed end-to-end flow from asset selection → yield calculation → store credit issuance → lock confirmation. Prioritized clarity around trust, gas, and unlock timelines.
- Landing Page & Pitch Design: Created marketing copy and landing site that clearly communicated a non-obvious mechanism to both normies and crypto-native users.
- API & Ecosystem Thinking: Scoped future Shopify/commerce plugins that allow stores to embed this protocol natively—turning HODL into a backend DeFi engine for web2 brands.
Outcome
- Working prototype complete with Figma designs, technical architecture, and landing page
- Prepped for integration with Pendle API for real-time yield rates and lock-up logic
- Positioned to launch as a Shopify app and/or gift card marketplace
- Actively seeking design partners and early adopters in DeFi commerce
