cred

Emergencies demand quick cash.
Most turn to high-interest loans or credit cards, adding financial stress. LAS (Loan Against Securities) offers a smarter way - secure a loan against your mutual funds without selling them.

Who are already playing in the market?

During my research, three key players stood out:

• 50Fin

• Volt Money

• QuickLend

Each of them brings digital convenience to the LAS space. However, across the board, I noticed critical gaps—particularly in education, onboarding, and user trust.

Where current platforms fall short

Here are the recurring issues I observed while analysing these competitors:

1. Limited awareness & education

There’s little clarity on how LAS works, who’s eligible, or the risks involved. Many users feel lost before they even begin.

2. Poor app usability

Overly complex flows and financial jargon create friction. Essential information is either hidden or hard to understand.

3. Onboarding & KYC friction

Redundant steps, excessive OTPs, and unclear verification processes make sign-up feel tedious and insecure.

4. Lack of transparency

Changing Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratios and hidden fees are often not disclosed upfront—hurting trust.

5. Delayed disbursement

Manual backend operations result in delays, which defeats the purpose of quick liquidity in emergencies.

What I learned from users

To understand user pain points better, I conducted interviews and asked key questions like:

• Have you heard of LAS before?

• How did you first learn about it?

• What would influence your decision to take one?

• What concerns would you have?

Here’s what stood out:

Awareness is low:

Most users didn’t even know they could use mutual funds to get a loan.

Price sensitivity:

The top decision-making factor was securing the lowest interest rate.

Feature expectations:

Users wanted real-time eligibility checks, flexible tenures, and the ability to keep a credit line open.

Safety concerns:

There was strong hesitation around the idea of their investments being liquidated in case of EMI delays.

Cautious openness to fintech:

Users were willing to try fintech platforms—but only if they were regulated, and fully transparent.

My approach to solving It

Armed with these insights, I set out to design a LAS product tailored for a high-affluent, digitally savvy audience. Here’s how I addressed the key gaps:

1. Positioned as a premium offering

Rather than treating LAS like a traditional loan, I positioned it as a luxury financial tool—similar to how CRED reshaped credit card payments.

2. "Your money, your control"

I emphasised that users’ mutual funds would stay under their control—even when pledged—easing fears of losing their assets.

3. Lowest interest rate guarantee

Since interest rate was the #1 decision driver, I made the lowest market rate a central value proposition—clear and bold.

4. Contextual education

Instead of pop-ups or pushy tips, I integrated helpful content exactly where users needed it—ensuring they felt informed without overwhelm.

5. Radical transparency

No hidden fees. No vague terms. Everything from LTV changes to liquidation rules was made clear from the start.

6. Instant disbursal

With direct integration to Mutual Fund Central, fund disbursement became instant—an essential differentiator in emergency situations.

Final thoughts

Designing for LAS wasn’t just about fixing broken UX. It was about reshaping how people perceive borrowing against their investments.

By focusing on clarity, control, and speed, I reimagined LAS as a trustworthy, premium experience. Not only could users feel confident using it—they could even recommend it to others.

In a space filled with friction and fear, we built something users could finally believe in.