This research investigates the factors influencing public acceptance of central bank digital currency (CBDC) app from a human–computer interaction (HCI) perspective. By examining user perceptions, behaviors, and attitudes toward CBDCs apps, this study aims to understand how design and usability impact adoption rates. Performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and perceived usefulness are some of the elements influencing the adoption of CBDC apps that are examined in this study using the UTAUT model. The study follows a descriptive research design, and data collection was done from 257 respondents. A partial least square-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis was used to test the hypothesis. The empirical results confirmed the overall hypothesis that effort expectancy positively influences behavioral intention to use, as all hypothesized relationships, namely H1, H2, H3, and H4, were confirmed at high statistical levels of significance (p < 0.001). These results portray the rather crucial nature of behavioral intention in formulating trust, effort expectation, and social influence. By incorporating human–computer interaction (HCI) principles, the research emphasizes the importance of user-centered design, usability, and accessibility in shaping public acceptance of CBDC apps.