Virtual Platform
FMI Virtual Trading Platform
The FMI Virtual Trading Platform is a portfolio simulation tool built to help students get familiar with real market data, buying and selling securities, and managing a portfolio in a controlled environment. The virtual platform provides students with the experience of having an online brokerage account, which gives them hands-on learning in terms of the securities and investment concepts. The FMI Virtual Trading Platform is part of the Capital Markets – High Schools Quiz Competition which offers a unique and exciting way to motivate, inspire, encourage and reward Secondary and High School scholars in their quest for knowledge and provide them with the opportunity to celebrate their achievement as part of a high profile, national competition.
Investing in the stock market can be an intimidating and complicated task for new investors and the virtual platform gives an immersive feel for what it is like to manage a real portfolio – real market data, real price movement, real investment strategy, but with virtual money and in turn helps aspiring investors learn and invest in the stock market through practice and education. Our Simulator uses real data from the stock markets in order to reproduce the experience of using a real online brokerage account. Users are provided with a virtual cash balance and can place virtual trades using real market data.
What is the objective of the
FMI Virtual Trading Platform?
At Financial Markets Indaba we stand for individual empowerment, diversity and collaboration. Our mission is to empower everyone to learn to invest smarter and build a sustainable future for our children and future generations. Our main goal is to democratize access to financial information and empower people to take charge of their financial future by giving them the education, resources, and opportunity to become real investors.
Participating on the FMI Virtual Trading Platform is the best way for students to sharpen their skills and learn from wins (and losses)–all without risking any real money. The goal is to build a fundamental understanding of investing while providing students with real-world skills and practice in math, English language arts, economics, social studies, and other subjects. This improves academic performance, financial behaviour, financial knowledge, and saving and investing habits. We believe in empowering individuals to take charge of their future. Most importantly, the virtual platform will help students develop positive money habits and prepare them for their future. In addition to the educational aspect, we think the Simulator is pretty fun as well. As with real life, the objective to participate on the virtual platform is to get the greatest returns on your investments. The better your portfolio performs, the higher the chances of winning the prize money.
How it works?
Investing brings a considerable amount of rewards, as well as risks. So, before putting your hard-earned savings on the line, why not practice with a virtual account? To participate on the FMI Virtual Trading Platform there is no fee or deposit required. The FMI Virtual Trading Platform is a fun and easy way to learn to invest. This is done by managing a ZWL1M virtual portfolio that mimics the real ups and downs of the stock markets. Students receive ZWL1,000,000 in a virtual brokerage account. They use this cash to manage a portfolio for the duration of the contest with our stock simulation.
Qualification
The first 50 teams in all of Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces to submit their applications for the Capital Markets High Schools Quiz competition automatically qualify and earn a spot on the FMI Virtual Trading Competition. The total number of schools to compete will be 50 with 250 students participating in the school teams over the six-month period.
Tournament Structure
50-team virtual trading competition tournament. The competition will be held over a period of six months (June – November 2023).
Who is eligible to participate in the FMI Virtual Trading Competition?
All public, private, and parochial high schools in Zimbabwe are eligible to participate. Students must be at a level equivalent to Form 3 – Form 6. Each team must be supervised by at least one (1) adult coach. A maximum of two (2) coaches will be officially recognized on competition day. Parents of students may serve as coaches, with the school’s approval. Each team must include four (4) participating students and one (1) or two (2) alternates. The expectation from the organisers of the FMI Virtual Trading Competition is that the team roster will remain unaltered throughout the entire competition period. Participating students must be currently enrolled in the school they represent, in levels from Form 3 – Form 6. Participating schools may register a maximum of one (1) team. Immediate family members of the competition organisers employees may not participate on any of the competing teams. To encourage a positive atmosphere and foster good sportsmanship, all participating schools and teams (including coaches, students and administrators) agree to abide by the Code of Conduct listed in the Rules.
FMI Virtual Trading Competition - Code of Conduct
To encourage a positive atmosphere and foster good sportsmanship, all participating schools and teams (including coaches, students and administrators) are presumed to be responsible individuals and will be treated as such and are therefore expected to conduct themselves in a responsible and ethical manner. This includes, but is not limited to, treating all other players, coaches, competition organising staff, and audience members with courtesy, abiding by all decisions of the organising staff, promptly reporting violations and honestly reporting details of game situations to the FMI Virtual Trading Competition organisers.
Coaches and administrators are expected to actively use their influence to enhance sportsmanship in the broadest possible manner and should not engage in conduct that may incite players or audience members during the competitions. Public criticism of FMI Virtual Trading Competition organisers, the crew or any participating team players, coaches, and audience members during the competition will be considered disruptive and unethical.
FMI Virtual Trading Competition organisers at their sole discretion reserve the right to decline participation of a school prior to and at any point during the competition, including future competitions, due to unsportsmanlike, disruptive, or unethical behaviour.
Can a school change its team members after submitting their team roster?
If there is a conflict and a registered primary team member cannot compete on competition day, with the prior written approval of the FMI Virtual Trading Competition organisers, either: (1) three members of the team can compete during the qualification stages with the expectation that the 4th member will participate in the final competition if the team qualifies; or (2) an alternate may be permitted to permanently replace the team member who cannot compete for the qualification stages and should the team advance, for the duration of the final championship competition. Those on the final team roster are then required to remain as a team for the entire tournament.
Coaches should ensure all the primary team members have reviewed and can commit to all competition dates. There are no exceptions and no substitutions are permissible throughout the tournament, so please be sure all official team members review the dates and times carefully in advance.
If a team drops out for any reason prior to their assigned qualifying date, the team earning the next highest score in the previous qualifying event will be designated as the replacement. Should that team not be able to participate, the opportunity passes to the next team and so forth, until a replacement is designated.
As a teacher or coach, you are obliged to provide supervision and oversight and to be responsible for the student’s actions. In any instances of suspected unscrupulous activity, the teacher/coach will be the main point of contact. The Parent/Guardian is also responsible for communicating directly with the organisers.
Confidentiality
All participating teams and coaches agree to keep and retain in the strictest confidence such confidential information as guest and team member appearances, including identity and information, game results, game questions, references, and any information not publicly known, since such disclosure will affect and/or destroy the surprise, tension, and outcome of the competition for the viewing public or may provide an unfair advantage to other participating teams. Gameplay shall be in the sole discretion of the FMI Virtual Trading Competition organisers. Clarification of these rules may be updated by the organisers at its sole discretion.
Proceed to the Virtual Trading Platform
For more information about the FMI Virtual Trading Platform email: