Launching a Reg-Compliant, Mobile-First Digital-Asset Platform in 22 Weeks—Driving $15 Million AUM, 99.97 %
Uptime, and a 40 % Reduction in Operating Costs
Make crypto investing as simple as buying coffee.
Angular web app, Node.js monolith, MongoDB Atlas
B21 Invest set out to democratise crypto wealth management for mainstream investors who find exchanges complex and self-custody scary. Their initial web MVP validated demand but lacked mobile reach, iron-clad compliance, and automated portfolio management. To close a pending VC round and win a strategic banking partnership, B21 Invest needed a bank-grade, mobile-first platform-complete with on-ramp/off-ramp, KYC/AML, and real-time portfolio rebalancing—live in less than six months.
Steady Rabbit deployed a Micro-GCC Core-Flex squad that, in eleven sprints, delivered:
Not a single sprint milestone slipped—giving investors the confidence to close a $9 M Series A at a premium valuation.
FinTech start-up headquartered in Gibraltar
2019
Make crypto investing as simple as buying coffee.
Angular web app, Node.js monolith, MongoDB Atlas
EU, India, SEA, and US (via MSB partner)
B21 Invest’s MVP allowed credit-card buys of Bitcoin and Ethereum, but lacked multi-asset baskets, auto-rebalancing, stable on-ramps in India/EU, and mobile apps—critical for emerging markets. New regulatory guidance (EU 5AMLD, India VDA rules) raised the bar. The founders promised investors a production-grade, compliant mobile platform by Q3 to unlock Series A and a co-branding deal with a mid-tier bank.
No native apps, web UX clunky on low-end devices
TAM plateaued; user growth stuck at 18 K
Must meet 5AMLD, PCI SAQ-A, FATF Travel Rule
Without licences, fiat on-ramp partners would walk away
Hot-wallet architecture vulnerable; no MPC or HSM custody
High asset-loss risk, no institutional trust
Node monolith capped at 200 TPS; flash crashes freeze UI
Peaks during bull runs could cripple reputation
22 weeks to meet investor & bank deadlines
Delay would drop valuation and kill partnership
Micro-GCC Squad Structure
Velocity forecast 108 SP per sprint; go-live timeline confirmed for Week 22.
Buffer dev replaced a React-Native engineer (COVID) in sprint 5—velocity dip 0 SP thanks to shadow tickets.
Assets Under Management: $0 → $15 M in first 120 days
Uptime 99.97 % across first 90 days (target 99.9 %)
Trade fee savings 28 % via automated rebalancer; Net Asset Growth +16 %
User activation 27 % → 44 % (+17 pp) post mobile launch
KYC pass rate 88 %, onboarding within 4 min avg
Operating Cost –40 % vs. previous stack via spot & serverless
PCI SAQ-A & 5AMLD compliance cleared bank DD in first try
Closed $9 M Series A; bank partner signed co-branding MoU
Predictability premium (~8 % uplift) paid back in ≤ 30 days by avoiding a two-sprint delay valued at ≈ $1.2 M lost AUM.
Inserted blockchain & payments SMEs within 48 h; Buffer bench eliminated risk.
Real-time capacity and risk ensured 98 % sprint compliance.
Plan-Left gates reduced re-work 41 % while adding < 2 h per sprint.
PCI DSS, 5AMLD, Travel Rule baked into DevSecOps; auditors impressed.
KPIs (uptime, AUM, activation) tied to squad incentives; no vanity metrics.
Weekly demos, Slack war-room, shared burn charts—zero surprises, ever.
Steady Rabbit delivered a bank-grade crypto platform in record time. Their Core-Flex model meant we always had the right expert on tap, and we never missed a milestone. Investors and banking partners were blown away.
