Trade Republic
Trade Republic's first year was shaped by a misunderstanding: the team expected to attract active traders — people who bought and sold frequently, sensitive to the €1 commission per transaction. Reality was different.
Behavioural data showed that the majority of users made few transactions per month. They were not "trading" — they were building systematic ETF investment plans, often with fixed monthly amounts. The most used product was not fast trading, but savings plans (automatic investment plans).
This redefined the product-market fit: the ideal user was not the retail trader, but the millennial who had never invested before and wanted an alternative to a current account that yielded something. The value proposition was not "cheap trading" — it was "accessible investing for people who don't know where to start".
Trade Republic responded by shifting communication: less trading language, more financial education. It launched content on what ETFs are, why a monthly investment plan works over the long term, how to diversify with €50 per month. The product did not change — the narrative around it changed.
The PMF signal: active savings plans grew faster than total accounts. Those who activated them had near-perfect 12-month retention.
Product-market fit often requires reinterpreting who your real user is by observing behaviour, not listening to what they say they want.