IMC Trading Invites Top STEM Students to Compete in Global Trading Challenge

Innovative competition mimics real-life trading on virtual island archipelago, with a $50,000 USD prize pool up for grabs

CHICAGO, March 25, 2024 — Global market maker IMC today announced the return of its unique market simulation challenge, Prosperity. ‘The world’s most innovative trading challenge’, Prosperity invites STEM university students worldwide to put their trading skills to the test in a virtual tropical island archipelago.

Taking place from April 8-23, participants will take part in five trading rounds, where they will be tasked with a series of challenges designed to mimic many of the dynamics encountered in the trading industry. Players must compete alone or on a team to out-trade their competition, demonstrating positional and algorithmic trading skills and basic Python knowledge, in order to grow their island and put their team on the path to Prosperity.

“The launch of Prosperity in 2023 was a huge success. Students at more than 400 universities across 109 countries took part, with 94% of participants indicating they would now consider a career in trading,” said Matthew Rose, Global Marketing Manager at IMC. “We’re excited to invite new and previous participants to take part in round two of our fast-paced, creative competition, which features brand new challenges designed by some of our top traders. Reaching Prosperity will require participants to go beyond the obvious – just like a career in trading at IMC.”

At the end of the competition, the team that has earned the most profit in the island’s official seashell currency will be named IMC Global Trading Talent of the Year and receive a cash prize of $25,000 USD. The remaining $25,000 prize money will be divided between participants placing 2nd to 25th in the rankings, as well as the Best Manual Trader.

Students currently enrolled at a university and studying a STEM subject can visit prosperity.imc.com to register for the challenge until April 8th. Players can compete solo or on a maximum five-person team. Once registered, participants will receive more information and be able to enter the dedicated Wiki and Discord server to meet fellow contestants, talk to IMC professionals and prepare for the challenge.

About IMC 

IMC is a leading global market maker with more than three decades’ experience and offices in Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific. IMC employs more than 1,600 talented individuals across offices in Amsterdam, Chicago, Sydney, Hong Kong, Seoul, New York, Zug, London and Mumbai. Their core business is to provide liquidity in financial assets on trading venues, and to deliver the best outcome in value and risk to investors. IMC engages in trading activities on its own account and employs state-of-the-art algorithms, statistical techniques, and innovative low latency technologies to execute their strategies.