Modern Frontends for Fintech

In fintech, the frontend is no longer “just a pretty face.” It’s a mission-critical layer that needs to be secure, responsive, and compliant with both regulatory and accessibility standards. Customers interact with financial products through mobile and web apps every day, and even minor UX friction can directly impact trust, conversion, and retention. 

Most fintech teams are now leaning on design systems, JavaScript frameworks like Angular/React, and secure authentication flows such as WebAuthn to deliver UIs that don’t just look good but also scale, comply, and protect. 

Building with Design Systems: Consistency + Compliance 

A fintech design system is more than a style guide—it’s a living library of WCAG-compliant, accessible components (buttons, forms, dialogs) that ensure every screen adheres to security and usability standards. 

By investing in a design system, teams avoid the pitfalls of inconsistent UI, reduce accessibility risks, and speed up development across multiple products. 

For example, in React we might centralize a secure button component that ensures consistent use of ARIA attributes and event handling: 

 1 // AccessibleButton.tsx 
 2 import React from 'react'; 
 3  
 4 type Props = { 
 5   label: string; 
 6   onClick: () => void; 
 7   disabled?: boolean; 
 8 }; 
 9  
10 export const AccessibleButton: React.FC = ({ label, onClick, disabled }) => { 
11   return ( 
12     13       onClick={onClick} 
14       disabled={disabled} 
15       aria-label={label} 
16       className="btn-primary" 
17     > 
18       {label} 
19      
20   ); 
21 }; 

 Instead of every developer writing their own <button>, the system enforces accessibility and styling rules globally. 

Angular vs React in Fintech Frontends 

Most fintechs today choose between Angular and React (sometimes even Next.js for SEO-driven flows like onboarding pages). 

Angular shines when you need a highly opinionated framework with built-in routing, forms, and dependency injection. Large banks often prefer Angular because of its “enterprise batteries included” model. 

React is ideal for fintech startups or modular teams that want flexibility and faster prototyping. With TypeScript and tools like Redux or Zustand, React apps can be just as scalable and structured. 

Example: secure login form validation in Angular. 

 1 // login.component.ts 
 2 import { Component } from '@angular/core'; 
 3 import { FormBuilder, Validators } from '@angular/forms'; 
 4  
 5 @Component({ 
 6   selector: 'app-login', 
 7   templateUrl: './login.component.html' 
 8 }) 
 9 export class LoginComponent { 
10   constructor(private fb: FormBuilder) {} 
11  
12   loginForm = this.fb.group({ 
13     email: ['', [Validators.required, Validators.email]], 
14     password: ['', Validators.required] 
15   }); 
16  
17   onSubmit() { 
18     if (this.loginForm.valid) { 
19       // Call secure API 
20     } 
21   } 
22 } 

This enforces validation rules right in the frontend, preventing basic errors and aligning with PCI DSS compliance principles. 

WebAuthn: Modern Authentication for Fintech 

Passwords are brittle, SMS OTPs are phishable, and regulations like PSD2 SCA demand stronger forms of authentication. This is where WebAuthn comes in. 

WebAuthn allows fintech apps to implement biometric or hardware-key authentication directly in browsers and mobile apps, reducing fraud while keeping UX smooth. 

A minimal WebAuthn flow in React might look like this: 

 1 async function registerUser() { 
 2   const options = await fetch('/webauthn/register-options').then(res => res.json()); 
 3   const credential = await navigator.credentials.create({ publicKey: options }); 
 4    
 5   await fetch('/webauthn/register', { 
 6     method: 'POST', 
 7     body: JSON.stringify(credential) 
 8   }); 
 9 } 

 With this, users can register using Face ID, Touch ID, or a YubiKey—no password required. 

Accessibility & WCAG in Fintech UIs 

Banks and fintechs are under regulatory pressure to ensure WCAG 2.1 AA compliance. This means: 

• Color contrast ratios above 4.5:1 
• Keyboard navigability 
• Screen reader compatibility 

A non-compliant interface isn’t just a UX issue—it’s a legal and reputational risk. By baking accessibility into the design system and CI/CD pipeline (e.g., automated tests with tools like axe-core), fintech teams can continuously validate compliance. 

Putting It Together: Secure, Compliant, and Scalable UIs 

Modern fintech frontends combine three pillars: 

• Design Systems → ensuring accessibility, compliance, and speed of delivery. 
• Angular/React → scalable frameworks tailored for enterprise or startup needs. 
• WebAuthn → frictionless authentication aligned with PSD2 and future EU/US security mandates. 

The result is an application layer that builds trust at first click—responsive, secure, and future-proof for millions of users.