International Quant Championship hosts thousands as largest finance competition ever

A giant quantitative finance tournament in Singapore has taken the record for the largest finance competition in history, after an incredible total of 73,496 participants joined WorldQuant, LLC (USA) at the culmination of the WorldQuant BRAIN's International Quant Championship on 6-7 October.

Narrowed down from an initial pool of 156,000 registrants, university students from over 167 countries competed in the technological and quantitative challenge, resulting in a rousing (and record-breaking) awards ceremony at the end of the contest. 

The Founder, Chairman, and CEO of WorldQuant, Igor Tulchinsky, (left) with CSO Nitish Maini (right).

With the contest officially beginning on 17 March, over the next six months applicants submitted signals on BRAIN, a simulation platform that provides tools, data, and educational resources for those in the competition, as well as those who want to break into the quantitative finance industry. 

These signals (known as alphas) are defined as mathematical models that seek to predict the future price movements of financial instruments. In addition to the programming and development skills required, finalist teams had to present their hypotheses, development process, and results to the judges, as well as undergo a Q&A session, on the national, regional, and global levels.

Only 13 elite-level teams (varying in size from one to four members) were invited to participate in the final round in Singapore, representing countries such as: Thailand, USA, UK, Vietnam, Singapore, France, Kenya, India, Mainland China, South Korea, Taiwan, Nigeria, and Germany.

And on 7 October, these mathematical minds gathered at the final ceremony to learn the results of all their hard work… and to take part in a surprising world record announcement.

Onstage in front of thousands of their peers, Guinness World Records Adjudicator Sonia Ushirogochi presented the organization with their award, and watched as they celebrated all their hard work with delighted cheers and plenty of photos. 

Victor Ayebameru (Nigeria), IQC 2026 Global Champion

“The record title sounds very simple compared with the tasks the participants actually undertook,” Sonia said. “It was a combination of finance, computer science, and statistics. The participants are university students. 

“It was apparent that they are WAY more talented in programming, AI, etc., at their current age than I, at 52, will ever be,” she joked. “And yet, though their youth gave them familiarity with modern technology, it also revealed some very real and endearing moments.”

Read more stories about record-breaking maths in our dedicated Science and Technology section!

Did you take part in this record-breaking finance competition? Then head to the GWR Store, and purchase your very own customisable Record Participant Certificate today, and show off your love for mathematics with the world! 

The top three finishers were as follows: first place, Victor Ayebameru, Adekunle Ajasin University (Nigeria); second place, Ziming Xu, Fudan University (Mainland China); and third place, Chang Yen Tsai, National Taiwan University (Taiwan).

And the event’s organizers were delighted to see such talented students come through for their 6th annual competition.

“This recognition reflects what the International Quant Championship has become: a global community of the world's most promising quantitative minds,” said Nitish Maini, Chief Strategy Officer at WorldQuant. “What began as an effort to widen access to quantitative research now connects participants with one another and with careers at WorldQuant and beyond. The larger that community grows, the more opportunity it creates for the exceptional people within it.”

The company’s founder, chairman, and CEO, Igor Tulchinsky, also agrees: “For decades, a career in quantitative finance depended on where you studied and who you knew. But the next great quant is as likely to be in Nairobi or Seoul as in New York or London. 

“WorldQuant’s International Quant Championship removes that filter at scale. This year, a record number of people from 167 countries competed on one thing alone: the quality of their ideas.”

So congratulations to everyone that took part in this record-breaking finance event – you are now Officially Amazing!