> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.2/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.2/rewards-and-programs/trader-program.md).

# Trader Program

ZeroTick rewards you for trading. The more you trade, the more points you earn, the higher your rank climbs, and the more you can take part in competitions and leaderboards. These are loyalty benefits for using the platform, not yield, profit sharing, or a promise of tokens. This page explains how trading turns into rewards and what each part does.

{% hint style="info" %}
The Trader Program is part of the Rewards area at `/rewards`, which opens once you sign in. For the bigger picture across every reward type, see [Rewards and quests](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/rewards-and-programs/rewards-and-quests). For the click-by-click steps, see the [Tasks and quests](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/tasks-and-quests) and [Claiming](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/claiming) guides.
{% endhint %}

***

### The parts of the Trader Program

Trading feeds several parts of the reward system at once. Each one is explained in its own section below.

| Part                                          | What it does                                                                              |
| --------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Trading tasks**                             | Milestones that award points as you trade.                                                |
| **Rank, Allocation Boost, and Airdrop score** | Your points raise your rank, your Allocation Boost, and your standing among participants. |
| **Competitions**                              | Timed contests with a prize pool, scored on your trading.                                 |
| **Leaderboard**                               | Where you stand against other users, ranked by points.                                    |
| **Trading Rebate**                            | USDC cashback tied to your trading, building up to claim later.                           |

{% hint style="info" %}
Everything here is tracked from your activity now. Points are claimable today. The USDC balances and competition prizes are not payable yet, and no amount, payout, or timing is promised. The trader rebate (cashback) depends on the ZTCK token and will not be live.
{% endhint %}

***

### How trading earns rewards

Trading turns into points through the Trading tasks, which track your milestones automatically. Here is the loop.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Make a trade

Buy or sell any token on ZeroTick. Your first valid trade unlocks the Trading tasks, which stay locked until then.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Reach Trading milestones

The Trading category tracks four milestones as you go: Trade count, Trading volume, Unique tokens traded, and Active trading days. Each milestone you pass adds points.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Claim your points

When a task is ready, it turns claimable. You collect points in the Rewards section, in one place, not on the task itself.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Climb your rank

Claimed points raise your rank and your Airdrop score, which is where the rest of the Trader Program builds from.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="info" %}
Points are not money and cannot be withdrawn. They measure your activity, raise your rank, and count toward your Airdrop score and any future community rewards.
{% endhint %}

***

### Rank, Allocation Boost, and Airdrop score

Your points do more than sit in a total.

* **Rank.** Points move you up a rank ladder of five tiers, Bronze to Champion, with three levels in each tier. Your rank reflects how much you have contributed to the platform.
* **Allocation Boost.** Each rank tier carries an Allocation Boost, a weighting multiplier on your platform contributions in any future, discretionary ZeroTick token distribution. A higher rank tier carries a larger boost. It changes how a fixed distribution pool would be divided, never how much you pay to trade.
* **Airdrop score.** Your points and activity feed your Airdrop score, which shows where you stand among all participants.

The Allocation Boost rises with your rank tier:

| Rank tier | Allocation Boost | Contribution weighting |
| --------- | ---------------- | ---------------------- |
| Bronze    | +25%             | 1.25x                  |
| Silver    | +50%             | 1.5x                   |
| Gold      | +100%            | 2.0x                   |
| Elite     | +150%            | 2.5x                   |
| Champion  | +200%            | 3.0x                   |

{% hint style="info" %}
The Allocation Boost affects contribution weighting only, never your trading fees. Any future token distribution is discretionary, paid from a fixed pool divided by weighting, and only if and when one happens. No airdrop, allocation, or amount is promised or guaranteed, and nothing here implies an expectation of financial return. For the token itself, see [ZTCK token and tokenomics](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/ztck-token-and-tokenomics).
{% endhint %}

***

### Trading competitions

From time to time ZeroTick runs trading competitions, some in-house and some with a partner. Each competition has its own prize pool, its own prize tiers by rank, and a rankings table that refreshes on its own, about every five minutes. You take part from the **Competition** section of the Rewards area.

A competition moves through a few stages:

| Stage        | What it means                                                                     |
| ------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Upcoming** | The competition is announced but has not started.                                 |
| **Live**     | The competition is running. Trade to climb the rankings.                          |
| **Ended**    | The competition has closed. Final rankings are settled and prizes are worked out. |

When no competition is running, the section shows a "Competitions coming soon" state.

<details>

<summary>How are competition rankings scored?</summary>

You climb by trading during the competition window. Competitions are currently scored on your trading volume, the total USD value you trade while the competition is live, and cross-chain trades count toward it. A competition can set its own rules, such as a minimum trade size or which chains are eligible, so always check that competition's own rules page for the exact terms.

</details>

<details>

<summary>When are competition prizes paid?</summary>

Prizes are settled after a competition ends, based on the final rankings. Rankings you see while a competition is live are provisional until it closes. Like the other reward balances, competition prizes are tracked now but are not payable yet, and no amount, payout, or timing is promised.

</details>

***

### Leaderboard

The **Leaderboard** section ranks users by total points, with a breakdown by category and a jump to your own row. Because trading points feed your total, climbing the Trading tasks moves you up the board. The leaderboard fills in as points are earned across the platform.

***

### Trading Rebate

Traders also build a **Trading Rebate** balance: USDC cashback tied to your own trading. It sits in the Rewards section alongside your other reward balances, and you can watch it grow as you trade.

{% hint style="info" %}
The Trading Rebate is tracked from your activity now, but it is not payable. It depends on the ZTCK token and will not be live until ZTCK exists; you cannot convert or withdraw it today, and no amount or payout is promised.
{% endhint %}

***

### Good to know

<details>

<summary>Do rewards change my trading fees?</summary>

No. Your rank, your Airdrop score, and competitions affect your standing and your rewards, never the fee you pay to trade. Fees are shown in the breakdown before you confirm a trade. See [Fees and pricing](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/fees-and-pricing) for how fees work.

</details>

<details>

<summary>When can I claim what I earn?</summary>

Points are claimable now, from the Rewards section. The USDC balances, such as the Trading Rebate, and competition prizes are not payable yet, and no amount, payout, or timing is promised. The trader rebate (cashback) depends on the ZTCK token and will not be live.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Do I need to hold a token to take part?</summary>

No. Points, rank, competitions, and the Trading Rebate are all earned through trading and activity on the platform, not by holding a token.

</details>

Rewards are discretionary loyalty benefits. Nothing here is financial advice, a share of protocol revenue, or a promise of tokens or returns. See the [Risk & Legal Disclaimer](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/risk-and-legal-disclaimer) for the full terms.

***

### Related pages

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Rewards and quests</strong></td><td>The overview of the whole Rewards area and how it is organized.</td><td><a href="https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/rewards-and-programs/rewards-and-quests">https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/rewards-and-programs/rewards-and-quests</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Creator Program</strong></td><td>How launching a token earns rewards for creators.</td><td><a href="https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/rewards-and-programs/creator-program">https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/rewards-and-programs/creator-program</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Tasks and quests</strong></td><td>How to complete tasks across the categories and earn points.</td><td><a href="https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/tasks-and-quests">https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/tasks-and-quests</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Claiming</strong></td><td>Where every reward is claimed: points, reward balances, and competition prizes.</td><td><a href="https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/claiming">https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/claiming</a></td></tr></tbody></table>