Nexent Bank, former Credit Europe Bank, is a Dutch-licensed bank founded in 1994 which has a long-standing presence in Europe with corporate, trade, and retail banking across seven countries, including Switzerland. In Romania, its Card Avantaj credit card has been a trusted product for more than 20 years, positioned as a flexible everyday card for lifestyle spending with instalment and loyalty benefits. 

Nexent Bank’s goal was to strengthen its market position by becoming again the number one independent consumer finance institution and one of the top credit card providers in Romania. To achieve this, the bank needed to shift from a branch-driven approach to a digital-first model. The new Avantaj app became a major step in that transformation. 

Challenges and opportunities

Before our partnership, Nexent Bank had multiple customer-facing channels in Romania, including apps and websites with a clear need for channel convergence strategy, which presented as opportunities to develop a more unified digital experience. Internal processes were thorough and compliance-focused, which sometimes extended timelines for feature rollouts. 

With a large network of over 30 vendors and agencies, there was potential to streamline collaboration and reduce costs. Our teams also saw opportunities to engage customers more directly and make data-driven decisions in real time. 

The solutions 

In collaboration with Metyis, Nexent Bank launched the new Avantaj app after just 3.5 months of development. The app was designed to be mobile-first, intuitive, and rewarding for customers who can now turn everyday spending into benefits through features that turn engagement and loyalty into a core driver with: 

• Earn & redeem Avantaj Coins: Up to 3% cashback in coins with every transaction, redeemable directly in the app. 

• Gamification with challenges & achievements: Playful missions, and achievements motivate customers to open the app regularly. 

• Motivation through loyalty tiers & exclusive benefits: From Starter to Ambassador tier, higher status levels bring better cashbacks and clearly visible benefits 

• Segmented & automated push notifications: Personalised notifications from welcome messages in the first 90 days to reactivation in case of inactivity and churn prevention. 

Figure 1. Avantaj app interface

Key elements of our solutions also included: 

• A global, scalable platform with built-in security and analytics. 

• Loyalty, gamification, and instalment-payment features integrated from the start. 

• A design system that communicates trust while making credit card management simple and engaging. 

• Agile cross-functional teams enabling bi-weekly feature releases. 

Every decision was guided by customer needs and data analytics while aligning with Nexent Bank’s business goals. 

Design and branding 

The creation of the new Avantaj was much more than a visual refresh. It was a full rebranding effort grounded in strategy. The goal was to maintain a strong connection with Nexent Bank while giving Avantaj its own identity rooted in its 20 years history. To achieve this, we defined a set of principles that shaped every part of the brand and user experience: 

• Playful, yet purposeful: Avantaj transforms complex credit card management into a clearly structured, visually playful experience with easy-to-use card features, and loyalty gamification. 

• Trust through aesthetics: As a retail brand, the app combines warm colours, clear typography and modern iconography to create an aesthetic, confidence-inspiring UI. 

• Mobile-first experience: Avantaj consistently leverages the capabilities of mobile – from 5-minute onboarding and wallet integration to interactive loyalty features. 

• One brand, one experience: A consistent design language across all screens and functions ensures recognition, simplicity and a seamless brand experience. 
  

We focused on building a brand experience that felt both engaging and practical. From the start, the design took customers on a visual journey that motivated them to stay loyal. Reward structures were built into the interface, so value was clear right away. 

At launch, the home screen highlighted the most important customer benefits without distractions. Key messages appeared upfront, making it easy for users to understand what mattered most. 

The account view was designed for clarity. Customers could see their available limit, recent transactions, challenges, and instalment payments at a glance. Nothing was hidden behind layers of navigation. 

To strengthen the loyalty program, we made rewards feel visible and motivating. Coins, tier levels, and progress indicators showed customers exactly where they stood and what they could unlock next. This turned the loyalty journey into something they could track and celebrate. 

Key design decisions included: 

• Colour hierarchy: Vibrant orange for the standard card, mid-orange for premium, and dark blue for prestige, creating visual differentiation. Gradients and subtle transitions add depth and modernity. 

• Typography: A typeface that gives the brand a bold, contemporary edge. 

• Card design: Cards feature smart tactile edges for accessibility and premium finishes for higher-tier products. 

• Photography and visuals: The new imagery reflects everyday moments and motion, tying into the tagline “The card that moves with you.” 

• Gamification assets: Over 500 badges and illustrations were developed to enhance the app’s playful and rewarding experience. 

The result is a cohesive identity that spans physical and digital touchpoints—from the app and credit cards to marketing campaigns, newsletters, and the website—creating a consistent and recognisable experience for customers. 

The impact 

Since the launch of the new app, Avantaj has transformed the way customers interact with Nexent Bank, driving engagement, improving experience, and supporting business growth. 

Rapid adoption and activation 

Early campaigns targeting new customers delivered strong results in the first 90 days.  Users had more active app sessions than ever and digital wallet enrolment and total transactions grew significantly. This shows that the app quickly became an essential tool for new users.

Deeper engagement 

Overall, active users reached new hights in August 2025. Sessions per user rose 11%, and average session time grew 27%. Gamified features and the loyalty programme encouraged repeat visits and kept customers interacting with the app more consistently.

Improved customer experience 

The app’s design and functionality directly influenced satisfaction. The iOS rating increased from 1.8 to 4.3 — a 139% improvement — reflecting clearer navigation, easier access to key features, and a more rewarding loyalty experience.

Revenue and profitability 

The new Buy Now, Pay Later feature generated significant incremental profit. Combined with churn-prevention tactics through targeted push notifications and gamified incentives, this delivered three times retained profitability relative to cost.

Brand impact and business growth 

Avantaj has become Nextent Bank’s primary digital channel in Romania, strengthening loyalty and driving credit card usage. Key business metrics illustrate this growth: new cards issued +3.6%, total turnover +12.3% and average spend per card +13.9%, ending net receivables +8.5%, interest-bearing receivables +4.3%, and revenue +12.3%. 

Beyond these metrics, the app continues to drive top- and bottom-line growth by keeping customers engaged with the loyalty programme, supporting activation campaigns, and encouraging repeated credit card use. Its mobile-first design reinforces clarity, trust, and ease of use, making it both a functional tool and a strategic driver for the bank. 

A digital transformation that moves with customers 

The Avantaj app shows how Nexent Bank reinvented its customer experience through digital-first thinking. With Metyis’ collaboration, Nexent Bank launched a modern, scalable platform that strengthens customer relationships, drives engagement, and improves profitability. 

This partnership is built for the long term. Ongoing bi-weekly feature releases ensure the app evolves with customer needs, establishing Nexent Bank as a leading, digitally enabled consumer finance institution in Romania and beyond. 

The success of this transformation has not gone unnoticed. The project nomination for the Best of Swiss App Awards, is a strong recognition of the innovation, impact, and collaboration that brought Avantaj to life, affirming its role as a benchmark in digital banking.