I recently had the chance to have a chat with the founder of Lightyear. Their goal is simple: do one thing and do it well. Revolut is the opposite: It’s becoming a Super-app that tries to do everything for everyone. While that’s good for growth, I think it’s actually pushing away a very profitable group of users.

The Persona: The "Boring" Investor

Lightyear’s main user is the "buy and hold" type. They DCA into ETFs and stocks for the long term. They want investing to be boring. They want a clean, straightforward experience and they hate unnecessary fees.

This group is a bit of a paradox. They are very stingy with transaction fees, so they won't make Revolut much money through trading. However, they are usually high-income and financially literate. They won't pay €2 to buy a stock, but they are likely to pay €55/month for an Ultra subscription if the overall ecosystem adds enough value to their life.

The UI and the Trust Factor

Revolut’s investing UI is busy. It’s clearly built to encourage trading – lots of trending lists, CFDs and other fluff. Don’t get me wrong: this is great for the average user, but for a serious investor, it’s just noise.

There’s also a trust issue here. When an app feels gamified or flashy, it feels less secure. If I’m looking to park €100k, I don't want an app that looks like a game. I want it to look like a secure bank. By making the UI so loud, Revolut accidentally signals that it’s not a "serious" place for wealth.

The Fix: "Zen Mode"

The solution is a toggle switch, a simple setting that de-clutters the investing screen. It would turn Revolut back into a focused, professional tool for those who want it. It could have an onboarding flow where the user is asked a few questions about their investing habits and then serve them with a tailored UI. This wouldn't just be for aesthetics; it’s a strategy to attract high-AUM clients who have high LTV.