Ready Trader Go

Prepare to feel the rush as you attempt to solve the complexity of algorithmic trading. Presented by Optiver, a leading global market maker, this competition is open to students from Australia and New Zealand. The challenge is simple; outperforming your competitors isn’t.

You’ll need to build a trading algorithm, or autotrader, that runs on a simulated exchange and optimise it over three rounds. Finish in the top 8 teams and you’ll qualify for the grand finals and a chance at a first prize of AUD $50,000. It’s time to see if your programming and analytical skills are up to the challenge of the markets.

As a leading global market maker, our mission at Optiver is to continually improve financial markets. You’ll be tasked with doing the same by building a trading algorithm for a new fictional financial instrument. The scenario is that the market for this product is still young and it needs help to grow. The aim is to help it become one of the most actively traded products on the exchange.

Your autotrader must provide competitive prices and volumes that will encourage other participants in the market to also trade in OPTI-ETF. You’ll need to do this while creating healthy profits and staying within pre-defined risk parameters.