The rules behind
every trade
Every StockMates game runs on the same rulebook — different market, same signals, same risk limits, same way of deciding who wins. Here's exactly how it works.
See Live Games arrow_forwardIt's a simulation — and anyone can join for free
No real trades are ever placed and no real money is risked. Game length, prizes, and rules vary game to game, but every entry is totally free and gets you the exact same shot at ranking.
Simulation Only
You trade with pretend money, not real cash — it can't be deposited or withdrawn. The only real money involved is the cash prize paid to top-ranked players, once your result is confirmed and your ID is checked.
Length & Prizes Vary
Each game has its own start date, end date, and prizes — check the Games page before you join, as these are fixed once a game opens. The top 3 players in every game win real cash.
Free and Equal Entry
Every game is free to join — some games unlock as you play, and that never costs anything either. Everyone in a game starts with the same settings and balance, at the same time, and must join at least 1 day before it starts.
Your Mate waits for good signs
Your Mate checks the market for good signs a stock is worth buying. It only trades when at least two good signs line up — never on just one, and never on a hunch.
Your Aggressiveness setting decides how many signs it needs before acting — the more cautious you set it, the more it needs to see before trading.
You can also narrow what it looks at — restrict it to certain industries, and on some games, tick specific stocks each day to point it in that direction.
Looks Oversold
The price has dropped a lot — a bounce back up is likely
Picking Up Pace
The stock's momentum has just turned positive
Extra Buying Interest
Way more people are trading this stock than usual
On an Uptrend
The price has been climbing steadily lately
Your Mate also watches the news
It doesn't just wait for you to tell it what to look at.
It Checks the News
Every 15 minutes, your Mate checks financial news headlines for any stock it could trade. If a stock gets mentioned, it's added to the list your Mate considers — it still has to pass the usual checks before any trade happens.
A Fresh List Every Day
On some games, you'll see a daily list of stocks your Mate has found worth a look. You can tick up to 10 to point it in that direction — this list resets automatically every day.
Rules your Mate can't break
You set these six controls when you configure your Mate — once set, they're hard limits, not suggestions.
Aggressiveness
How many signals are needed and how quickly your Mate acts once it has them — from a handful of high-confidence trades to frequent, fast decisions.
Risk Tolerance
How long your Mate can hold a losing position before cutting it loose — from a quick exit to riding out bigger swings.
Position Size
The maximum share of your portfolio a single trade can use — a hard cap so no one trade can sink your whole game.
Stop Loss
An automatic exit if a position drops by your chosen percentage — non-negotiable, and it happens without you having to be watching.
Take Profit
An automatic exit once a position gains your chosen percentage, so wins get locked in systematically instead of given back.
Sector Focus
Which industries your Mate is allowed to trade — pick Tech, Finance, Energy, Healthcare, Consumer, or any mix of them.
A minimum 5% cash floor is always kept back, and every game pauses new trades 30 minutes before that game's own market close.
Same rules, different market hours
Trading hours vary by game — a couple of examples below. We can also pause a game any time, e.g. for a public holiday.
Blue Chip Blitz
Trades 14:30–21:00. New trades stop 30 minutes before close.
Crypto Clash
Trades 12:00–19:00. New trades stop 30 minutes before close.
Ranked by How Much You've Grown
Top 3 win a prize — usually £100 / £50 / £25, but this varies per game, so always check the game's own page.
Ties
Results are rounded to 2 decimal places, so a tie means an exact match at that precision. Tied players pool and split those prizes equally — e.g. two players tied for 1st split the 1st and 2nd prizes (£100 + £50) and get £75 each.
Result Confirmed After the Game Closes
Standings are provisional until confirmed, within 24 hours of the game closing. Trading stops at the game's closing time (UK time, shown on each game page). For a few minutes right after close, the leaderboard may briefly show the last standings before confirming the final result.
ID Verification Before Payout
You'll need to verify your identity with a passport or driving licence — this also confirms you're 18+. You must request your payout within 30 days of your result, or the prize may be lost.
Think a Result Is Wrong?
Email legals@stockmates.ai within 7 days of a game closing and we'll check it for you. Full details are in our Terms of Use, Section 8.
Finish high, get paid
You're ranked by how much your money has grown — no real money is ever at risk, but the top finishers in every game win a real cash prize, paid out once your result is confirmed and your ID is checked.
Full Prize Rules arrow_forwardHow a position closes
Most exits are automatic and happen without you lifting a finger. A few are judgement calls your Mate makes — and you can always step in yourself.
Automatic
- • Stop loss triggered
- • Take profit triggered
- • Holding period exceeded for your risk tolerance
Mate's Judgement
- • A higher-conviction opportunity is found
- • The original reason for entry no longer holds
Take Over, Any Time
- • Buy or sell any screened stock yourself, alongside or instead of your Mate
- • A manual trade placed while the market or game is paused queues automatically and runs the moment trading reopens — it's never rejected outright
StockMates is a simulation. No real trades or orders are placed on any stock or crypto market, and no real money is invested or held. StockMates is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and nothing on this page constitutes financial, investment, or trading advice. Simulated results do not predict or guarantee real-world performance. See our Terms of Use for the full rules.
We may update our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy at any time. Changes never alter the prizes, scoring or rules of a game that has already opened.
Ready to configure your Mate?
Pick a game, set your six controls, and let your Mate trade inside the limits you choose.
See Live Games arrow_forward