From trials to referrals: a defining year for cTrader Store sellers
Volatile markets and changing trader behaviour shaped a defining year for cTrader Store sellers. Trials, versioning, promotions, multi-platform plugins and upcoming referrals reshaped how products are built, discovered and sold - and what to focus on next to grow sales.
How market volatility, new tools and platform updates reshaped selling
Volatile markets change trader behaviour and this year was no exception. As uncertainty pushed traders towards safer assets like gold and more disciplined strategies, expectations for trading tools rose sharply. Traders became more selective, more analytical and far less willing to buy on promises alone.
In response, cTrader Store focused on one clear direction - helping sellers prove value faster, reach traders across platforms and convert demand into real sales. Trials, versioning, multi-platform plugins, promotions and smoother monetisation were built to work together rather than exist as isolated features.
Below is a structured recap of what shaped the year and what sellers should act on next.
Sofia Savchenko
Aleks Kozlov
Market context: volatility, gold and selective demand
Throughout the year, financial markets reacted strongly to macroeconomic signals including interest rate expectations and geopolitical uncertainty. This environment renewed trader focus on risk management, capital protection and diversification.
Gold, in particular, returned to the spotlight as a defensive asset. This increased demand for indicators and strategies focused on commodities, tools analysing correlations and volatility and decision-support products rather than speculative shortcuts.
For sellers, this trend reinforced a clear shift. Traders want tools they can evaluate, trust and integrate into real trading workflows. Transparency, trials and clear product positioning became more important than ever.
Aleks Kozlov
Trials became a core sales mechanism
Trials were one of the most impactful seller updates of the year.
They allow traders to test products in real conditions before purchasing, reducing hesitation and setting clearer expectations. In practice, this leads to higher-quality installs, stronger purchase intent and fewer refunds.
In a cautious market environment, trials are no longer a nice-to-have. They are a key conversion driver. Trials are closely linked to versioning, ensuring sellers can offer limited access while keeping products secure and up to date.
Sofia Savchenko
Versioning set a new standard for product updates
The introduction of structured product versioning gave sellers a scalable and transparent way to manage updates in cTrader Store.
Versioning allows sellers to release improvements without disrupting existing users, communicate changes clearly and maintain buyer confidence during active market phases.
Sofia Savchenko
Promotions proved effective in real market conditions
This year, promotional campaigns in cTrader Store were tested during active and volatile market phases rather than quiet periods. The results confirmed that well-structured, curated promotions can drive both visibility and sales for sellers.
Over the year, we ran multiple campaigns, including Black Friday, Halloween, Christmas and New Blood promotions. Together, these campaigns demonstrated that promotions are not isolated events but a repeatable growth mechanism when aligned with market demand and product readiness.
To take full advantage of future campaigns, we recommend closely following our announcements and email updates. This is where we share details about upcoming promotions, participation criteria and timelines, helping sellers prepare and participate on time.
Sofia Savchenko
Ten published seller success cases that show what actually works
This year we published ten in-depth seller success cases, each focused on real products, real decisions and real outcomes inside cTrader Store.
These were not promotional highlights. Each case breaks down:
- how sellers entered the Store
- how they positioned and iterated on their products
- what helped them increase visibility and sales
- which mistakes slowed growth and how they were corrected
Together, these ten stories form a practical knowledge base for sellers who want to grow in realistic market conditions and help traders make more confident purchasing decisions.
Aisylu Chanysheva
Aisylu Chanysheva
Aisylu Chanysheva
Multi-platform plugins expanded trader reach
This year marked the biggest plugin update in the Store to date with the introduction of multi-platform plugins.
Sellers can now deliver plugins across desktop, web and mobile using standard web technologies such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
As more traders monitor markets and manage positions on mobile, especially during volatile periods, this update significantly expands product reach while keeping maintenance simple through a single codebase.
Sofia Savchenko
Python support expanded what sellers can build
Python support opened the Store to a broader range of developers and product types.
In a market where traders increasingly rely on data and automation, Python enables sellers to build research tools, advanced analytics and custom trading logic grounded in real data rather than assumptions.
This significantly expanded both the technical scope of products and the seller audience.
Sofia Savchenko
Seller operations improved with automatic withdrawals
On the operational side, we introduced automatic withdrawals, reduced the minimum payout threshold to $50 and clarified payout processes.
These changes reduce friction and make revenue access more predictable, especially for sellers managing multiple products.
Sofia Savchenko
Roadmap update: referrals are approaching
Earlier this year, we shared a seller-focused roadmap outlining priorities such as trials, versioning, multi-platform plugins, Python support and improved payouts. Many of these milestones are now live.
Aleks Kozlov
Sofia Savchenko
What comes next:
A seller referral programme is now approaching release. Referrals are designed to help sellers attract new users through partners, communities and existing audiences, adding a scalable acquisition channel alongside Store discovery and promotions.
More details will follow shortly.
Resources to help you grow sales
Alongside platform updates, we published practical guides based on real Store data and seller experience:
Sofia Savchenko
Sofia Savchenko
Sofia Savchenko
Sofia Savchenko
These resources are designed to be applied directly, not just read.
Closing the year with the right setup
This year set a new baseline for selling in cTrader Store. In markets shaped by volatility and renewed interest in assets like gold, traders value transparency, usability and proven performance more than ever.
- updating products to the latest versioning
- flow enabling trials where appropriate
- reviewing tags and product positioning
- preparing for upcoming promotions and referral opportunities
Taking these steps now ensures your products enter the new year aligned with current Store mechanics and ready to benefit from the next wave of seller-focused updates.
Looking ahead
Thank you for building and growing the cTrader Store ecosystem with us throughout the year. Your products, feedback and long-term commitment are what turn platform updates into real value for traders.
We wish you a strong start to the new year, continued product growth and increasing sales across your portfolio. We look forward to supporting your success with new tools, new growth opportunities and the next wave of seller-focused updates.
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