Berkeley Trading Competition
Hosted by Traders at Berkeley
The 2026 Berkeley Trading Competition application is now open!
The Berkeley Trading Competition 2026
The Berkeley Trading Competition is the West Coast's premier intercollegiate trading competition hosted by Traders at Berkeley.
Applications for the 2026 competition are now open! Follow our social media to be notified of all updates.
Prizes
The prize pool is $20,000 in cash. Top scoring individuals among all games will each win a cash prize. In addition, top players from each game will also win a cash prize.
Participants will also have a chance to win special swag and other prizes.
Who can attend the competition?
The event is open to all undergraduate and graduate students interested in quantitative trading. The event is targeted to students studying Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Data Science, Physics, Economics, Finance, or related fields. We aim to spark interest in a wide range of quantitative strategies and trading skills as well as create a real-time trading environment for future quants and traders.
What Can You Expect?
The Berkeley Trading Competition 2026 will take place in person at UC Berkeley on February 28 and March 1, 2026.
Over the two day competition, participants will compete in a series of trading and quantitative research challenges developed by Traders at Berkeley. Participants will also attend networking and informational sessions with our industry sponsors and have a chance to meet current traders, researchers, and engineers.
All participants will have a chance to network with recruiters and traders from top trading firms including Citadel, Jane Street, Optiver, Jump Trading, DRW, Susquehanna, Five Rings, Flow Traders, Hudson River Trading, and Old Mission Capital.
Transportation and Accommodation
Traders at Berkeley will cover the cost of transportation and accommodation for participants traveling to the competition. More details will be released to accepted participants.
Breakfast and lunch will be served to all participants during the competition provided by Traders at Berkeley. For special dietary restrictions please contact the event organizers using the email below.
Contact
Competition specifics will be released to accepted participants via email. For immediate questions, please email competition [at] traders.berkeley.edu
FAQ
Is the competition a team or individual event?
The competition is an individual event and each participant needs to sign up separately. Final scoring and prizes will be awarded based on individual performance.
How will transportation and accommodation costs be reimbursed?
Accommodation will be handled by Traders at Berkeley. Details about transportation reimbursement will be released to accepted participants. Participants should wait until acceptance emails are sent out before booking flights and transportation.