10 Web3 design trends for 2024

As interest in Web3 trends continues to grow, it is important for major tech companies and promising startups to stay attuned to the latest developments and design trends in this field.

What’s a better way to do it than this article from a leading Web3 design agency, outlining the 10 most popular Web3 design trends predicted for 2024? 

By analyzing the works of our own design team as well as others, we have identified which Web3 trends are gaining the most prominence this year.

Some rising trends we found include dark mode interfaces for visual comfort, AI integration for customized experiences, and retro/vintage influences for nostalgic charm.

Read on to learn more.

Web3 UI UX design. What are Web3 trends and challenges?

Web3 UI/UX design aims to make digital interactions more direct by removing middlemen, which means users now have better control over their data and privacy. 

Trust and security are maintained using cryptographic methods, which help people feel confident. Web3 also makes it easier for users to manage their digital assets, cryptocurrencies, and decentralized applications (dApps).

A key aspect of Web3 is interoperability, which means different blockchain networks can smoothly share their data. Web3 design focuses on being open and transparent, so users can easily access and verify blockchain information. 

The goal of Web3 UX is to simplify interactions, especially when using wallets, private keys, and new interfaces.

Scalability and security are rather challenging because more users can slow down the network and increase transaction costs while requiring strong protections for user data and reliable smart contracts. Web3 security trends and updates are one of the major parts of its UI/UX design.

Web3 projects must also deal with complex regulations about data privacy, KYC (Know Your Customer) requirements, taxes, and financial rules. 

One of the top priorities is educating users about Web3 in your design, addressing concerns, and showing practical uses.

We design Web3 products that invoke trust and confidence.

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Web3 design examples

How about a few examples of Web3 design that, in our design team’s opinion, definitely hit the mark?

• One of the best Web3 projects - an accessible and remarkably user-friendly Web3 design of BlockEarner and their Blockchain-based fintech solution.
• A consistent and straightforward Web3 design of RelayPay and their platform for easy crypto payments, bill settlements, and fund transfers.
• A secure yet easy and intuitive Web3 web design of TokenPlace, a crypto trading terminal.
• A popular Ethereum wallet MetaMask that provides a simple browser extension interface, breaking down complex blockchain interactions into understandable steps.
• An NFT marketplace called OpenSea that uses familiar e-commerce patterns to help users navigate buying, selling, and auctioning digital assets.

10 best Web3 design trends for 2024

Together with our design team, we’ve gathered the 10 best Web3 design trends for 2024, ranked by their popularity - from the most in-demand to the “still feisty but sometimes put to the side”.

Dark mode

Not a new trend for UI/UX design in general, yet a very prominent tendency when it comes to designing Web3 products, dark mode is number one on our list today due to its popularity. 

Dark mode has evolved from a niche feature to a mainstream design trend in Web3 applications, mainly because of its aesthetic appeal and functional benefits. 

First of all, it enhances visual comfort, especially in low-light conditions, by reducing eye strain and fatigue. The subdued contrast in dark mode minimizes glare, providing a more immersive and comfortable user experience during extended screen time.

Dark mode is also known to improve focus by highlighting key content and de-emphasizing background elements, which enhances readability and navigation. It’s particularly appreciated for night-time browsing, offering a gentle glow that makes for relaxed and comfortable use in dim environments.

Dark mode is also energy-efficient on OLED displays, where black pixels are turned off, thus conserving battery life significantly. Overall, its ability to save battery power, improve focus, and provide a comfortable viewing experience makes dark mode a compelling trend in Web3 design for 2024.

AI integration

The best Web3 companies will tell you right now - if you don’t have AI integration in your Web3 product, you are lagging behind more than you think. Although it’s a more generic tech trend than a UI/UX design trend, AI integration should also be implemented in a way that harmonizes with the rest of your product’s user experience.

Combining AI with Web3 can create an online world that keeps people's info safe, shares data storage and usage more widely, and makes experiences fit each person better through machine learning. 

AI can improve many key parts of the Web3 system. It can power applications and sites to interact in more intuitive and customized ways. Integrating AI with decentralized web3 platforms ensures secure, efficient user interactions while maintaining privacy.

This trend also enhances accessibility and usability, with AI-driven features like natural language processing for seamless navigation and intuitive voice commands. Additionally, AI aids in real-time data analysis, providing insights for continuous UX improvements. 

Retro and vintage

Fashion is cyclical. UI/UX design is no exception to being swayed under the retro craze. Number one rule - it should be done tastefully. The nostalgic charm of past eras can still appeal to users’ love for the past while providing modern functionality.

The color schemes in retro and vintage Web3 designs often include muted tones like earthy and pastel colors reminiscent of the '60s and '70s. Additionally, bold and bright neon colors (our next trend) are used to evoke the feel of the '80s arcade and the early internet era. These colors set a nostalgic tone and make the designs instantly recognizable.

Retro fonts are also a key element. Designers use typefaces that evoke different periods, such as cursive and serif fonts from the mid-20th century or pixelated fonts from the early digital age. Large, bold text is also common, reflecting the style of vintage advertising.

Elizabeth Hyliuk

Head of Design

Worth noting a few previous trends that are just not “it” anymore. 

First of all, futuristic and space themes, intergalactic vibes, etc. Used to be everywhere, but now they are annoying and, thankfully, going away. 

Purples and pinks in design are still popular, but they make brand differentiation a bit harder if everything looks the same.

Neumorphism and glassmorphism - are also out of fashion at this point.

Bold colors and neons

Another booming trend for products that plan on going places - neon and vibrant colors. Many Web3 platforms now use bright and neon colors in their designs. They want to make the designs look flashy and catch people's attention. 

Bold colors like purple, green, orange, and yellow make people feel different emotions, like joy, loyalty, energy, etc. 

Designers use these colors to represent the online worlds of the metaverse. They feel familiar but also mysterious. For example, Trust Wallet uses friendly colors like warm tones to show trust and security.

Neon colors, especially, have become popular. Blues and pinks remind people of a futuristic world with cool technology. Their bright glow immediately grabs your interest, fitting for new inventions. 

From crypto wallets to games, neons show creativity and connectedness. Moving pictures and characters stand out with vibrant hues. Dynamic color schemes signal things meant for fun and adventure for kids and teens. 

In darker designs, neon pops from black for a cyberpunk feel tied to security and tech. Overall, bold colors and neon highlights in Web3 catch your eye and signal new ideas.

Customization and personalization

The best Web3 design agencies try year in and year out to improve the customer experience for their clients by adding more customization and personalization. 2024 is no exception. This trend is still alive, and we see nothing wrong with it. 

People deserve to feel like the product gets them on a personal level. And with Web3, it might be a crucial point in converting visitors into customers.

For example, letting people change colors and backgrounds on their own gives customers power over their online space. Privacy browsers also do personalization really well. 

Brave, for instance, gives total control over what data is used. It uses machine learning to match ads to what people like in a way that protects privacy. Users even earn tokens for the ads they see. This shows how Web3 can offer suggestions and content customized just for each person, while still keeping their info private.

We design Web3 products that will make your users feel safe and appreciated.

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3D and micro-animations

The next item on our Web 3.0 trends list is 3D and various engaging animations. Interactive visuals set Web3 designs apart from their static, corporate counterparts. 

Simple yet effective animations, such as a button click or mouse movement, guide users through the interface, making the interaction with the website or app more natural and positive. 

Micro-animations also offer feedback and guidance. They visually indicate the status of important actions like trades, transaction failures, and auction bids. Unlike backend systems that update data but can strain resources, micro-animations are efficient and user-friendly. 

For instance, animations during wallet setup or after button clicks make the process more enjoyable and reassure users that their actions are being processed.

Incorporating 3D assets into Web3 design is another trend that adds depth and uniqueness. For example, tools like three.js enable designers to integrate 3D elements, distinguishing Web3 projects from Web2 designs. While 3D should enhance aesthetics without overwhelming the user, this trend brings a fresh, modern look that captivates and retains user interest. 

Immersive experiences

Web3 sites are continuing to use augmented and virtual reality tech to make experiences feel especially real. This design trend gives people new ways to interact online by taking them into virtual stores and schools in the metaverse.

However, it's important that these experiences are easy to use and nice to look at. Making these innovations available to more people will help ensure immersive Web3 designs are not just for tech experts but can involve all kinds of users in new and involving ways. They need to work for anyone, not just people with expensive equipment.

Another mini-trend in immersive experiences is parallax scrolling, a design technique that creates an illusion of depth by moving background and foreground content at different speeds. 

This trend is making a comeback in 2024 with a twist - incorporating live content, video, and dynamic imagery to create a more immersive and interactive experience for users. 

By triggering animations and other content with scrolling motions, you can showcase your features and demonstrate how to use dApps in an engaging way that makes exploring blockchain technology exciting and easy for your clients to understand.

Minimalism

Nearly all Web3 design agencies will tell you that minimalism and the “less is more" approach are very much still up and running. Many Web3 platforms have adopted a minimalist approach to user interface design in order to simplify the experience for users. 

A minimalist design reduces cognitive load and makes key information easily accessible by removing excess clutter and focusing only on the most important elements. 

Products use minimalist principles through clean layouts and limited palettes to create an uncluttered user experience. 

In Web3, where new technologies can overwhelm users if not presented effectively, a minimalist approach helps guide the eye to important functions while preventing information overload. It allows users, including those new to blockchain, to easily understand and navigate platforms. 

By stripping back non-essential design elements, minimalism maximizes usability.

UX with empathy

One of the very important trends in Web 3.0 that we should’ve definitely put higher on our list is approaching user experience with more empathy because, believe it or not, designing for such a complex field requires maxing out on empathy toward your users. 

First of all, you need to focus on creating frictionless onboarding and seamless cross-device experiences to address the steep learning curve many new users face. Many non-Web3 users find the technology intimidating due to unfamiliar blockchain concepts and complex terminology. 

Simplifying onboarding processes with clear, concise guides and educational resources, is the solution. For instance, incorporating step-by-step tutorials, tooltips, glossaries, and interactive walkthroughs can significantly demystify Web3 for newcomers. 

Consistency across devices, whether on desktop or mobile, will also enhance user experience by maintaining familiarity and ease of access. Recognize that many of your users may be completely new to these concepts and need guidance. 

We design Web3 user experiences with empathy and knowledge.

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Gamification

The last on our list - the gamification trend - is still holding on, albeit less strongly than it used to. It makes user interactions more fun and engaging by adding game-like features such as rewards, leaderboards, and ranking systems. For Web3 projects, it can boost user participation and loyalty. 

These elements go beyond just blockchain games, creating exciting experiences on various platforms. Users, who are often familiar with gaming, are naturally attracted to these interactive features. They not only entertain but also help users learn about Web3 concepts and build a community around a product. 

The key for this trend is to design these gamified features carefully, so they enhance the user experience without causing addiction or cluttering the interface. 

Web3 trends 2024. Summary

Overall, out of all the Web3 trends, the most important things are:

Providing good user support and onboarding. Give your users clear instructions and easy-to-use interfaces. Clear communication helps make blockchain technology understandable for non-technical users. Finally, balancing creative design with functionality will keep your users engaged.

What’s more, the best Web3 companies right now are not only focusing on purples and fancy gimmicks, but they are also practicing empathy, providing immersive experiences, engaging micro-interactions, and playing with retro, minimalism, and dark modes. 

Are you in need of a trendy Web3 design that will also stand the test of time? Look no further. Just ask our Merge team to help.