cTrader Merge: four trading products in one

Challenge

Spotware’s cTrader suite had grown into four separate products. This forced users to switch between platforms, which created friction and discouraged them from adopting more tools. The goal of cTrader Merge was one platform with one main navigation, to lower the learning curve, encourage adoption and open up cross-promotion.

Process

I worked closely with product owners and developers on a unified navigation that could scale across web and desktop.

• Mapped the existing menu structures across the four products to find overlaps and conflicts.
• Prototyped different menu structures in Illustrator and shared them internally.
• Iterated on layouts and visuals with stakeholders and developers.
• Refined interaction details for dense trading screens.
• Aligned the design with technical feasibility and integration needs.

Outcome

A single, scalable navigation let users move between all cTrader products, with onboarding screens to explain the new structure. Tested internally rather than with clients, feedback confirmed it improved discoverability.

• Simplified access: switching between products became effortless.
• Cross-promotion: clients discovered more tools within the suite.
• Cohesive experience: cTrader felt like one ecosystem, not four apps.

Reflections & Learnings

Merging four products into one reduced friction for traders and positioned cTrader as a cohesive ecosystem.

• Working before Figma and formal design systems meant Illustrator and manual setup, which sharpened my precision.
• Internal testing validated feasibility, though external usability testing would have uncovered more client insights.
• Unifying products means balancing usability, technical constraints and business goals.