2025 is over: what has changed in affiliate marketing

AFFHUB is here, and today is the day when we traditionally summarize the results of 2025 in the affiliate sphere and recall how events have developed during this time.

To do this, we talked to market leaders, partners, and just our friends. So, we’re going to tell you how the year went, what it changed in the market, and what to expect in 2026.

Key events

This year, one of the keywords for most buyers was “Andromeda.” In particular, it caused the annual autumn storm on the Facebook market, the largest source in our field.

Most of you already know what it is. For those who are not aware, here is a brief explanation.

It is the new core of the Meta advertising network. It is an AI that analyzes and selects audiences. Furthermore, it differs from previous algorithms in that now sequences of events are processed by artificial intelligence in real time. The AI then automatically selects the audience and creative content for it based on the collected data.

The algorithm has influenced:

• Audience analysis, as larger amounts of data are evaluated faster and in greater detail. For example, minor user reactions, viewing depth, and interaction are analyzed. The focus is now on audience quality rather than quantity.
• Creative evaluation. Now, the neural network actively checks the content of the creative itself, rather than the reaction to it. It reads the purpose of the post, as well as whom the ad is targeting, what its call to action is, and so on. Based on this, it selects the right audience, and you get targeting. If the creative does not have a clear message, then there will be no audience either.
• Ranking – first, the algorithm filters out all ads without a specific call to action.  Then it compares data about the creative and the audience in order to clearly select the segment. Then it analyzes competitors and compares the results.

The market has already partially adapted to the new rules of the game. But we are not relaxing, because no one has canceled the fact that Meta will once again be wise: “New year – new me,” and everything will change again 😉

However, this year was not only important for Andromeda. There were many events. We saw some large companies disappear from the market. We saw new, truly promising projects enter the affiliate market with a bang. And, of course, we witnessed how some products managed to emerge from the crisis and return to the fray. One of these is Affstellar.

2025 was also eventful for AFFSTELLAR. The year was extremely difficult, and it seemed that at some point, the company’s reputation, which had been built over five years, could be ruined due to a series of difficulties and storms. At the same time, 2025 became a year of strength for us — we found the resource within ourselves not to give up, but to deal with problems in a mature way. 

In this context, we fixed all technical bugs, found payment solutions, changed the structure of the team, and appointed the extremely powerful and experienced crisis manager Daria as CEO. She managed to find partners with whom financial issues had been left unresolved and make all the necessary payments. 

Most importantly, through these efforts, we demonstrated our commitment to solving problems, restored our reputation, and worked hard to correct our mistakes in order to prevent or at least reduce their likelihood in the future. 

So, for the coming year 2026, we wish all affiliates and every player in this eventful market to avoid problems, and if they do arise, to solve them in a mature way! Just like AFFSTELLAR did. We have big plans and ambitions for the coming year. It’s going to be interesting, so stay tuned! ❤️💫

Trends

Let’s recall last year, when everyone was talking about the “death of apps,” discussing the growing demand for influencer traffic, and predicting changes in the market from AI. Have these trends continued this year? Partially, yes. But in our opinion, the market has undergone other, equally important changes this year.

In particular, more and more products are changing their key focus, with traffic quality being valued more than quantity. Against this backdrop, demand for ASO and SEO is growing, while Freemium Traffic continues to lose ground (however, no one is ready to declare it dead yet).

The market has also experienced a new wave of popularity for crashes. An old meme reflects the situation well: something trendy (Chicken), something that has gone out of fashion (Aviator), and something eternal (Plinko). However, the crash market is also undergoing a revolution. Against the backdrop of growing demand for quality traffic, more and more products are abandoning it. Traffic itself is growing in price, while payments are being cut.

Does this mean that crashes will disappear from the market in 2026? 99% likely not. Because it remains a good tool for attracting numerous players. However, the crash market itself is likely to undergo further transformation. A separate infrastructure will be formed for such approaches for other tasks — bringing new players to the market, rather than quick traffic payback.

Gambling regulation is another important term for 2025. We have all witnessed the “death” of certain markets, such as India. Or the transformation of others, such as Brazil. In Ukraine, the gambling market is also undergoing a new phase after the emergence of Playcity. 

And here, the policies of many countries differ greatly — some understand that the best way to combat illegal gambling is through regulation. Others are trying to adapt “simple solutions” such as “prohibition” in the US, completely banning gambling. And now we can already see that the second approach does not work. Therefore, most likely, in 2026, market regulation in most GEOs will gain momentum. The only question is what strategy the major countries will choose.

Finally, among the trends, I would like to note the growth of competition in the main markets. And this applies to all verticals. Traffic in Tier-1 is becoming more expensive every year, as are activities in these GEOs among buyers. Against this backdrop, even the most experienced teams are moving to Tier-3.

What are the verticals living on? 

Unfortunately, we simply don’t have enough time to analyze all the verticals. Therefore, we will run through a few of the most common ones. 

Gambling

We have already mentioned the problems with regulation in different GEOs. And while in some markets this allows gambling to move into the “white” market, in other countries it completely shifts all operations into the “black” market. 

According to AFFPRO, 2025 was a year of maturity and rethinking approaches for the affiliate marketing sphere. The scale of deals has grown, competition has intensified, and the requirements for traffic quality and operational discipline have become significantly higher. For teams that work systematically, this year was not so much about survival as it was about strengthening their positions and building a sustainable growth model: 

“One of the key developments in 2025 was gamification in iGaming. It ceased to be a “gimmick” of the product and became a basic tool for attracting and retaining users. For arbitrage, this meant a new reality: more complex creatives, scenario funnels, the growing role of pre-landing logic, and a change in approaches to traffic flooding. The winners were those teams that quickly adapted, tested non-standard formats, and worked not only with clicks but with the entire user journey.

2025 was also an eventful year in terms of industry presence. We attended a number of international conferences and had our own booth at SIGMA ROMA 2025 for the first time. At the same time, the team launched podcasts, implemented partner integrations, and built direct communications with the market — without intermediaries or formal PR.

Separately, 2025 once again clearly showed that for an arbitrage team, plan B is part of the basic operating model. Offers burn out, connections lose relevance, and platform rules change. Stability was ensured by GEO diversification, alternative funnels, pre-prepared switching scenarios, and cold calculation in decision-making, rather than betting on one “golden” setup.

In summary, 2025 was a year of consistency, publicity, and preparation for an even more complex environment for arbitrage. It laid the foundation for changes that will strengthen the role of gamification in 2026, complicate creative competition, and make speed of adaptation a key advantage for strong teams. 

Here is how representatives of Wild Wild Group sum up this year for gambling in particular and for the industry in general:

Wild Wild Partners:

2025 can be compared to a wild mustang that is almost impossible to saddle, but we did it. We endured, grew, started working with new sources, met and partnered with a bunch of cool people and professionals, accepted all challenges, and continue to do so!

This year was a year of stabilization for us. Next year, we will work on scaling up, taking more risks, and increasing our momentum!

Wild Wild Leads:

Throughout this year, many media buying teams and affiliate programs faced serious difficulties, and a significant number of them ceased operations altogether. The main reasons were the introduction of Facebook’s Andromeda machine learning algorithm, which significantly changed the rules for purchasing traffic, as well as increased regulation of Tier-1 markets in the iGaming sector.

Against the backdrop of these changes, it is particularly important to emphasize that we have maintained operational stability and continue to work, which in itself is a key achievement in such a turbulent industry.

Wild Wild Apps:

2025 was a year of practical solutions and steady growth for Wild Wild Apps: we developed the service together with the community, created tools for confident scaling in any market conditions, and actively shared our expertise in specialized media.

Subscriptions, alternative sources, an updated bot, and a constantly updated pool of applications gave our partners more flexibility, predictability, and opportunities for results. The trust of our teams and partners became our main value of the year. 

In 2026, we will focus on strengthening key areas and launching new initiatives that will help partners earn more — the market will definitely feel our next move.

Wild Wild Group:

This year, we invested our efforts in communicating with the community, launched our own media project — Wild Production, debuted with a booth, and strengthened our team with incredibly talented specialists.

This year cemented our course for growth, recognition, and systematic work with our audience. 

A year in which we strengthened relationships with our partners by exchanging experiences, networking at offline events, and sharing common goals. This trust and partnership synergy is the main value of this year and the fuel for moving forward.

According to Makeberry Affiliates, by 2025, the Ukrainian affiliate market will have matured to a stage where volume is no longer an argument, and quality and predictability have become the currency. 

“One of the main challenges of the year is the overestimation of traffic value against the backdrop of a lack of in-depth analytics and transparent communication between buying teams and products. As a result, collaborations often stop not because of a lack of budget or demand, but because of different interpretations of “quality traffic” and the lack of a common language of metrics. Makeberry Affiliates has made this problem its focus for 2025: our expertise lies at the intersection of performance marketing, analytics, and processes, so we are building a win-win model where data and direct dialogue empower both buying and product teams. In 2025, we began working on our own analytics platform, which provides a transparent picture of effectiveness, highlights the strengths and weaknesses on both sides, and allows for faster agreement on expectations and traffic requirements.

In 2025, Makeberry Affiliates grew out of the classic affiliate network format: we became a direct advertiser for three casino products — WinSpirit, RocketPlay, and LuckyHills. We also focused on offline presence and live networking: we attended 12 conferences and meetups, sponsored the AFFHUB conferences twice, and debuted with our own booth at SiGMA Rome. 

The team was shortlisted for industry awards seven times, and we also received two prestigious wins: Commission Offer of the Year (AFFPAPA) and Donat of the Year (AFFHUB CPA VOICE). Our internal momentum was confirmed by scaling: during 2025, the team doubled in size, and more than 10,000 communications with potential partners during the year allowed us to increase our partner base by 300%.

In 2026, the market will be even more demanding in terms of traffic quality validation, attribution, and automation, particularly through AI tools. Therefore, Makeberry Affiliates will continue to expand its portfolio as a direct advertiser, develop its analytics platform, and strengthen its international presence through new GEOs and conferences. A separate focus is on new communication formats: Alexander Kulik, VP of Makeberry, has already highlighted the trend toward AI influencers, and in 2026, we plan to create our own to systematically strengthen the brand’s public expertise.

Ahead of us is a year when teams that think in numbers and build long-term partnerships will prevail. That is why we will be happy to cooperate with those who view the market in the same pragmatic, transparent, and results-oriented way. 

Gentle Partners, summarizing 2025, notes the importance of resale partners, who remain the backbone of the market: 

2025 proved once again that resale partners are a point of security and a stabilizer for business. While some call them an “extra link,” for others, resale is the only way to work in conditions of thin margins, unstable traffic, and overloaded operations. The reality is simple: resale has long ceased to be an intermediary — it has become a stabilizer of the system.

To be honest, resale earns money from successful partner cases. But its real value lies not in the margin percentage, but in risk management, speed, and trust. Where direct partnerships break down on onboarding, payments, or conflicts of interest, resale takes on the role of a protective layer between the product and media buying.

For buying teams, this means predictable payments, protection from sudden changes in conditions, and the ability to scale without fear of processes coming to a halt. For websites, it means speed, flexibility, and managers who are truly involved in the work. If resale disappears, websites and mid-range products will be the first to suffer.

At Gentle Partners, we see resale as an infrastructure of stability: we invest in media coverage, strong teams, and transparent rules of the game. Because in an industry where every step costs money, trust is the foundation of business, not a bonus.

Betting

Traditionally, the betting market depends on the activity of sporting events. And this year, it cannot be called intense. Qualification for the 2026 World Cup has already taken place, which is good. Also, demand for esports, whose tournaments are held annually, is traditionally growing.

However, the new year has a lot of exciting things in store for us, including the World Cup and the Winter Olympics. So, we can predict a new upswing in the industry in 2026. And with it, an increase in player demand for betting.

Crypto 

Here, everything is very reminiscent of the situation with gambling. Many markets are moving towards the need to regulate crypto, which may affect the white component of this vertical. 

As for black crypto, it’s even more “fun.” There are many complications, and previously top GEOs are no longer showing conversion. The market needs global changes in approaches and strategies. And it is quite possible that 2026 will be the driving force behind this change.

Nutra

Probably one of the most stable verticals in the affiliate industry. Are there still bans? Yes. Is there a conversion? Yes, there is. In terms of ROI, nutra is difficult to compete with gambling. But it can give most verticals a run for their money thanks to its stable profits. 

All key niches here are widespread year after year, as people continue to suffer from excess weight, men’s and women’s health issues, joint problems, and so on. And it is unlikely that this problem will ever be solved. Therefore, we can say with confidence that in 2026, nutra will remain an unshakable vertical. 

Dating

Here, too, everything is stable. As Alex, CEO, and Igor, Head of Dating Department at C3PA Affiliate Network, told AFFHUB, dating is one of the verticals from which affiliate marketing began.  And demand for this niche is not only not falling, but growing every year: 

For almost 10 years, we have been developing our products and services in this niche and systematically researching the market.

How 2025 changed the dating vertical

The dating vertical is one of the most stable verticals in affiliate marketing: over 366 million active users worldwide, global spending of about $6.2 billion per year, and since 2020, the audience has grown by more than 35%.

The vertical continues to grow and remains profitable, but at the same time, it is becoming much more demanding in terms of team expertise, advertiser products, and approaches to traffic.

Old approaches to working with traffic are rapidly losing their effectiveness. User behavior has changed: the audience has become much more demanding and easily checks the product — from link previews to the brand’s public presence. The vertical still faces problems with scams and fraud, as well as the fact that not all advertisers take a systematic approach to product development — from the quality of landing pages and payment solutions to working with the audience and retaining users.

Where is Dating headed?

In 2026, the Dating vertical will continue to move toward technological and product evolution. 

The market will demand new products and fresh ideas for attracting users, as well as the constant search for and adaptation of new traffic sources. AI tools will become a key factor in the effectiveness of arbitration, from working with creatives and targeting to deeper analytics and real-time decision-making. 

As a result, the teams that can combine technology, data, and product thinking into a single, scalable system will win.

2025 for C3PA

2025 was a special year for C3PA. We celebrated 10 years on the market by updating our positioning, identity, and brand strategy.

Throughout the year, we strengthened our business component: expanded our showcase to 3,000+ offers covering 200+ GEOs, launched 10+ in-house and white-label products, developed in-house media buying, and released our own product, the Marksel tracking platform.

This year, we were recognized as the “Best Dating Affiliate Program” by Affhub CPA Voice 2025. For us, this award is the result of systematic work and the trust of our partners.

Thank you to everyone who was with us this year.

2026 and beyond: Action Matters

In 2026, we are entering with ambitious plans, strengthening the role of technology, focusing on scaling quality partnerships and ecosystems.

C3PA has gone from an idea to a global player, but our key principle remains unchanged — Action Matters.

The events market 

The same transformation has reached this sector and changed what seemed unchangeable. Large events now have competitors—niche meetups. Against this backdrop, some industry representatives have already begun to abandon large conferences, believing that they do not produce results. 

However, in practice, both formats are good and beneficial, but working with them is as different as can be. In 2026, we can expect more events, both large and small.

AFFHUB has a lot of interesting things in store for the new annual cycle, so click here to create a list of your “Napoleonic plans” for 2026 in advance. 😉

Media 

This year, many media outlets were affected by Google’s update and the addition of the Gemini AI assistant to the search bar. This caused certain traffic problems for many media outlets in the industry. This is because many users searching for specific information stop at Gemini’s answers. 

Many are also moving away from searching on Google, preferring AI-based chats instead. This would seem to significantly reduce the popularity of media outlets. However, in practice, most large media outlets are adapting to the changes, working with AI, and thus only increasing their traffic volumes. 

The media has become yet another proof that AI will not take away jobs from those who truly provide expertise to the market. You just need to work with it correctly 😉. 

Let’s sum up

It has been a really eventful year. It has caused a kind of revolution in the affiliate sphere. Things will never be the same again, but perhaps that’s for the better 🙃. 

But 2026 is not planning to lag behind. The new year has a lot of interesting things in store for us, such as the US Senate elections, which will take place next fall. Perhaps this is something that will once again affect the industry and force us to adapt to a number of changes.

At AFFHUB, we hope that any changes the market brings next year will create new opportunities for you, not problems. Personally, we are ready for this. So we look forward to seeing you in 2026, because it’s going to be awesome 🔥.