Competition Official Rules

1. The Sponsor

PaperTrade Academy (the “Sponsor”) organizes and operates all competitions described on the Service. “Competition” means any leaderboard-based event, tournament, challenge, or contest offered on the platform.

2. Eligibility

To enter a competition you must:

• Be a registered, non-suspended PaperTrade Academy user in good standing under our Terms of Service.
• Be at least 18 years of age at the time of entry.
• Maintain a single account associated with your true identity. Multi-accounting, alt-accounts, and collusion are strictly prohibited.
• Not be a resident of any jurisdiction where participation in skill-based contests is restricted or prohibited by law. Participants are solely responsible for ensuring that participation is lawful in their jurisdiction.
• Not be an employee, contractor, or immediate family member (parent, sibling, spouse, child) of an employee or contractor of the Sponsor.

The Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to verify eligibility and to disqualify any entrant who does not meet the eligibility criteria or who violates these Official Rules.

3. Simulation-Only & No Financial Instrument

All competitions are conducted using simulated (“paper”) trading for educational purposes only. No real money, securities, commodities, derivatives, or other financial instruments are bought, sold, or transacted.

Simulated balances, rankings, and all competition-related outputs are fictional and exist solely within the Service. They:

• Have no monetary value.
• Do not represent property or financial assets.
• Cannot be withdrawn, transferred, or exchanged.
• Do not constitute compensation, winnings, or financial returns.

See our Simulation Disclaimer for additional details regarding differences between simulated and real-world market conditions.

4. Skill-Based — Not a Sweepstakes, Not a Lottery, Not Gambling

Each competition is intended to be a bona fide contest of skill. Outcomes are determined primarily by participants’ decisions, strategies, and engagement with the simulation environment, including but not limited to order selection, timing, position sizing, and learning activity.

While simulated market conditions may fluctuate, chance does not determine outcomes, and no random drawing, selection process, or chance-based mechanic is used to identify winners. Competitions are not sweepstakes, raffles, lotteries, or gambling activities.

5. Educational Purpose & No Investment Representation

Competitions are provided solely for educational and entertainment purposes.

Results, rankings, and performance metrics:

• Reflect outcomes within a simulated environment only.
• Do not demonstrate or imply real-world trading ability.
• Do not predict future financial performance.
• Should not be relied upon for investment decisions.

The Sponsor does not provide investment advice, recommendations, or endorsements through competitions or leaderboard features.

6. Scoring & Determination of Winners

Each competition will display its scoring methodology on its event page. Scoring categories may include simulated portfolio performance (e.g., ROI), XP accumulation, or other defined metrics.

Scores are calculated using internal systems, data pipelines, and anti-abuse mechanisms. The Sponsor reserves the right to audit, adjust, or invalidate scores to preserve fairness and integrity. Tie-breakers are resolved in the following order:

1. Highest score on the published metric at competition close.
2. Earliest timestamp at which that score was achieved.
3. Highest level of valid platform engagement.
4. Sponsor discretion, applied consistently and in good faith.

Final standings may be delayed to allow for verification, auditing, and anti-abuse review. Winners are typically announced within 7 days of competition close.

7. Prizes & Prize Restrictions

Unless explicitly stated otherwise under a separately approved promotion, competitions award only non-monetary, in-platform recognition, including but not limited to XP, digital badges, leaderboard placement, or similar virtual items.

All prizes:

• Have no cash value.
• Are not redeemable for cash or cash equivalents.
• Are non-transferable and non-saleable.
• Do not constitute property, compensation, or financial instruments.

The Sponsor reserves the right to substitute, modify, or revoke prizes at any time in its sole discretion. See the Competition Prize Disclaimer for additional prize-specific terms.

8. Conduct, Fair Play & Disqualification

The Sponsor may, at its sole discretion, investigate and take action against any participant suspected of undermining the integrity of a competition.

Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Violations of the Terms of Service .
• Exploitation of bugs, errors, or unintended system behavior.
• Use of multiple accounts or coordinated activity.
• Wash trading, manipulation, or artificial score inflation.
• Use of bots, scripts, or automation.
• Misrepresentation of identity or eligibility.

The Sponsor may disqualify participants retroactively and revoke any associated rankings, XP, badges, or recognition. Additional account actions, including suspension or termination, may apply.

9. Cancellation & Modification

The Sponsor reserves the right to suspend, modify, shorten, extend, or cancel any competition at any time, for any reason, including technical issues, integrity concerns, legal or regulatory considerations, or force majeure events.

Material changes will be communicated through the Service where reasonably practicable.

10. Disputes, Finality & Release

All decisions by the Sponsor regarding competitions, including scoring, rankings, eligibility, and enforcement, are final and binding.

Disputes must be submitted in writing to support@papertradeacademy.com within 14 days of the relevant event. Failure to do so constitutes a waiver of the claim.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, participants release the Sponsor and its affiliates from any liability arising out of or relating to participation in competitions, including but not limited to:

• Ranking outcomes.
• Data inaccuracies or delays.
• Technical errors.
• Perceived unfairness.

Any remaining dispute not resolved by the above process is governed by Terms of Service §12 (Governing Law).

11. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Sponsor shall not be liable for:

• Interruptions, delays, or errors in competition operation.
• Inaccuracies in simulated data or leaderboard calculations.
• Loss of participation opportunity.
• Any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages.

Participation is at the user’s own risk.

12. Privacy & Public Display

By participating, you acknowledge that certain information (such as username, avatar, and performance metrics) may be displayed publicly on leaderboards.

All personal data is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

13. Relationship to Other Agreements

These Official Rules are incorporated into and subject to the Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Simulation Disclaimer. In the event of a conflict, the Terms of Service shall control.

14. Contact

Questions regarding these Official Rules may be directed to support@papertradeacademy.com.