Qualified FTD: what counts as a target action

FTD stands for first time deposit: the first deposit made by a player an affiliate referred. A qualified FTD is that same first deposit once it has met every condition of the offer, and under the CPA model only qualified FTDs are paid. That one word decides which deposits earn a payout and which stay a line in the statistics.

What FTD means in plain terms#

A player clicks your link, signs up with the operator and funds their account for the first time. That first top-up is the FTD. A sign-up without a deposit is not an FTD, and neither are the same player's second and third deposits: those count toward revenue under RevShare and sometimes toward an offer's KPIs.

The FTD reaches your statistics as an event the operator passes to the network and the network passes to your tracker through a postback. So the first deposit numbers show up almost at once, while the final decision on each of them comes later.

FTD and qualified FTD#

An FTD records the fact of the first deposit. A qualified FTD is a first deposit that meets all of the offer's conditions. If even one condition is not met, the deposit stays in the statistics, but no payout is due for it.

That is why comparing offers by the FTD payout alone makes little sense. A high payout with strict qualification can earn less than a modest payout with clear conditions.

What qualification conditions are made of#

The set of conditions is defined by the specific offer. The most common ones are:

• a minimum first deposit amount;

• the player's GEO: the country where they registered and deposited;

• an allowed traffic source;

• a new player: no duplicates or repeat registrations;

• sometimes, player activity after the deposit within a set period.

The exact values are agreed before launch. If an offer simply says "FTD", ask for a breakdown of the checks a deposit goes through before it becomes payable. A threshold on amount or activity is sometimes written as a baseline, and traffic quality as KPIs. How to read those terms is covered in Baseline and KPIs in affiliate offers.

How the review works#

An action usually goes this way: the player deposits, the event appears in the statistics as pending, the advertiser checks it against their data, and the action is then approved or rejected. The advertiser's confirmation is called approval.

The time between the event and the final status is called the hold. Its length depends on the offer and the advertiser. It is good practice to know in advance how long the hold lasts and where the current status of each action is shown.

Why an action may be rejected#

• The deposit does not meet the conditions: below the minimum amount, a different GEO, not a new player.

• The traffic came from a source or country the offer does not allow.

• The advertiser found signs of fraud: unagreed incentivised traffic, multi-accounts, artificial activity.

• The player's payment was later cancelled or disputed.

The last point is worth understanding in advance. For example, under the JUS Terms and Conditions, actions later cancelled or disputed by the advertiser may be adjusted within 180 days of the payout date. Many networks and advertisers have similar rules.

How to reduce the risk of rejections#

• Record the qualification conditions in writing before launch, with the date of the version.

• Start with a small test and watch the share of approved actions, not just the number of deposits.

• Keep an eye on traffic quality: match the offer's GEO, source and audience.

• Regularly reconcile statuses in the dashboard and in your tracker.

What to do if you disagree with a decision#

Contact your manager with the traffic period and the details: click IDs, dates, source. The manager will pass the question to the advertiser and come back with an answer. The more precise the data, the faster the review.

At JUS, qualification conditions, the hold and the reconciliation procedure are agreed before launch, and every disputed case is reviewed individually. If you want to go through the terms of a specific offer, write to your manager or sign up and discuss them before your first campaign.