Social & Community

VTrade’s social layer transforms solitary trading into a collaborative, competitive, and educational experience. The platform integrates performance-based rankings, content sharing, community organization, and structured competitions into a unified social trading ecosystem.

Leaderboard

Navigate to VTrade → Leaderboard to view performance-based trader rankings. The leaderboard is the platform’s competitive backbone — ranking all participants by trading performance across configurable time periods and population scopes.

Ranking Methodology

Traders are ranked by total return percentage within the selected time period. The ranking algorithm accounts for:

Only realized and unrealized P&L (VCR bonuses and rewards are excluded)
Minimum trade count requirement per period (prevents inactive accounts from ranking on old gains)
Position at the time of calculation (updated every 5 minutes during market hours)

Time Period Selection

Period	Window	Use Case
Daily	Current trading session	Identifies today’s top performers
Weekly	Monday 00:00 – Current	Short-term consistency
Monthly	1st of month – Current	Monthly performance tracking
Quarterly	Quarter start – Current	Medium-term skill assessment
Yearly	Jan 1 – Current (YTD)	Annual performance comparison
All-Time	Account inception – Current	Lifetime track record

Scope Filters

Scope	Population	Description
Global	All VTrade users	Platform-wide competition
Country	Users in your registered country	Regional comparison
Friends	Users you follow	Personal benchmark group
Group	Members of a specific trading group	Intra-group competition
Competition	Participants in a specific contest	Contest-specific standings
Level Bracket	Users within ±5 XP levels of you	Fair comparison by experience

Leaderboard Table Columns

Column	Description
Rank	Current position (with ▲/▼ indicator showing movement since last period)
Trader	Username, avatar, level badge, and country flag
Return (%)	Total return for the selected period
Win Rate (%)	Percentage of closed trades that were profitable
Total Trades	Number of completed round-trip trades in the period
Sharpe Ratio	Risk-adjusted return for the period
Max Drawdown	Worst peak-to-trough decline in the period
Current Streak	Consecutive profitable/unprofitable trades
Risk Score	Algorithm-assessed risk level: Conservative / Moderate / Aggressive

Your Position Indicator

A pinned footer bar always displays your current rank, return, and percentile position — visible regardless of scroll position. This ensures you always know where you stand relative to the population.

Trader Profiles (Click-Through)

Clicking any trader row opens their public profile page showing:

Performance chart (equity curve for the selected period)
Public positions (if the trader has enabled position visibility)
Achievement badges earned
Bio and social links
Follow button
Trading statistics summary

Feed

Navigate to VTrade → Feed for the community content timeline. The Feed is your window into what other traders are thinking, doing, and sharing — from trade ideas and market commentary to chart analysis and educational content.

Feed Algorithms (Tab Selection)

Tab	Algorithm	Content Source
For You	Personalized recommendation engine based on your interests, followed traders, engagement history, and trading style	All public posts, weighted by relevance
Following	Strict chronological from followed accounts	Only posts from users and groups you follow
Trending	Ranked by engagement velocity (likes + comments + reposts within a time window)	Platform-wide public posts with momentum
Latest	Pure reverse-chronological (newest first)	All public posts without algorithmic curation

Content Creation

Click + New Post to compose content: Post Composition Elements:

Element	Description	Limit
Text Body	Main content (supports markdown)	500 characters
Ticker Mentions	Reference stocks with $prefix (e.g.,$ AAPL) — auto-linked to detail pages	Unlimited
Chart Attachment	Upload a screenshot of your chart analysis or market observation	1 image per post
Hashtags	Categorize with # prefix (e.g., #earnings, #technicalanalysis)	5 per post
Position Tag	Optionally attach a current position showing your actual entry/direction	1 position
Visibility	Public (all users) / Followers Only / Group Only	—

Interaction System

Action	Description	Visibility
Like (❤️)	Express agreement or appreciation	Like count visible; likers list available
Comment	Reply with text (supports ticker mentions and markdown)	Public thread beneath the post
Repost	Share to your followers with optional commentary	Appears in your followers’ feeds
Bookmark	Save privately for later reference	Only visible to you
Follow Author	Subscribe to future posts from this trader	Adds to Following feed
Report	Flag content violating community guidelines	Reviewed by moderation team

Hashtag Discovery

Trending Hashtags — Real-time popular topic tracking

The sidebar displays currently trending hashtags ranked by post volume and engagement. Click any hashtag to view all posts tagged with it, sorted by relevance. Popular hashtags include: #earnings, #technicalanalysis, #optionstrading, #dividends, #crypto, #swingtrading, #daytrading, #macroview, #sectorrotation, #IPO

People Discovery

Navigate to VTrade → People to discover other traders on the platform. The People section provides algorithmic recommendations, category-based browsing, and search functionality to help you find traders worth following.

People — Discover traders by category, performance, and compatibility

Above: The People discovery page with category tabs (Suggested, Top Performers, Most Followed, etc.) and trader cards displaying key metrics at a glance.

People Discovery Cards — Trader profiles with key metrics and follow actions

Above: Individual trader discovery cards showing avatar, display name, performance metrics, and one-click follow button — enabling rapid network building.

Discovery Categories

Category	Algorithm	Description
Suggested	Collaborative filtering based on trading style similarity	Traders who trade similar instruments and have similar risk profiles
Top Performers	Ranked by monthly return with minimum trade count	Consistently profitable traders worth following for ideas
Most Followed	Ranked by follower count	Community favorites and established voices
Active Traders	Ranked by post frequency and trade volume	Engaged community members who share frequently
New Members	Sorted by registration date (newest first)	Recently joined traders — opportunity to build early connections
Same Level	Filtered to your XP level ± 5 levels	Peer group for fair comparison and mutual learning
Nearby	Geolocation-based (country/region)	Traders in your timezone/market for local market discussion

Trader Cards

Each discovery card displays:

Avatar, display name, username, level badge, country flag
One-line bio
Return % (for current month)
Follower count
Win rate
Follow button (one-click)

Search

Free-text search by username or display name with instant results. Supports partial matching.

Groups

Groups are organized communities within VTrade where traders with shared interests collaborate, share ideas, and learn together.

Group Visibility Types

Type	Visibility	Join Method	Content Access
Public	Visible in search and browse	Open — join freely	Readable by anyone; posting requires membership
Private	Visible in search and browse	Request-based — requires admin approval	Only members can view posts
Secret	Not visible in search	Invite-only — existing members or admin must invite	Only members know it exists

Group Categories

Groups are classified into 13 categories for browsable discovery:

Category	Focus Area
Day Trading	Intraday strategies, scalping, momentum
Swing Trading	Multi-day holds, chart patterns, mean reversion
Options Strategies	Covered calls, spreads, iron condors, volatility plays
Crypto	Digital assets, DeFi, NFTs, on-chain analysis
Dividend Investing	Income generation, DRIP strategies, yield optimization
Growth Stocks	High-growth companies, emerging markets, disruptive tech
Value Investing	Undervalued securities, margin of safety, Buffett-style
Sector Specific	Focused on one sector (tech, healthcare, energy, etc.)
International Markets	Non-US equities, ADRs, currency considerations
Beginners	Learning fundamentals, asking questions, mentorship
Paper Trading	Strategy testing, backtest discussion, simulation techniques
Quantitative	Algorithmic trading, factor models, statistical arbitrage
Macro/Economics	Federal Reserve, interest rates, geopolitics, macro cycles

My Groups

The My Groups tab shows all groups you are a member of:

Group name, description, and member count
Unread post count (badge)
Last activity timestamp
Your role (Member / Moderator / Admin)

Creating a Group

Create Group — Configuration form with type, category, rules, and cover image

Click + Create Group
Configure the following:

Field	Description	Required
Name	Group display name (3–50 characters)	✓
Description	Purpose and focus (up to 500 characters)	✓
Type	Public / Private / Secret	✓
Category	Select from the 13 categories above	✓
Cover Image	Banner image (recommended 1200×400px)	Optional
Rules	Community guidelines specific to this group	Recommended
Tags	Additional keywords for discoverability	Optional

Click Create — the group is live immediately

Group Administration

As a group admin or moderator, you have access to:

Capability	Description
Approve/Reject Join Requests	For Private groups — review pending membership requests
Remove Members	Revoke membership (with optional ban to prevent rejoin)
Mute Members	Temporarily restrict posting ability (1hr / 24hr / 7 days / permanent)
Pin Posts	Pin important announcements to the top of the group feed
Edit Group Info	Update name, description, rules, cover image
Invite Users	Send direct invitations to specific users
Promote to Moderator	Grant moderation permissions to trusted members
Promote to Co-Admin	Grant full administrative permissions
Transfer Ownership	Designate a new primary admin
Delete Group	Permanently remove the group and all its content

Competitions

Competitions are structured, time-limited trading tournaments where participants compete under defined rulesets for prizes and recognition. They add a competitive dimension to your trading practice and provide clear performance benchmarks.

Competition Formats

Format	Winning Criteria	Description
Best Return	Highest total return %	Classic performance contest
Risk-Adjusted	Highest Sharpe Ratio	Rewards consistent risk management over raw returns
Lowest Drawdown	Smallest max drawdown (with min return threshold)	Capital preservation focus
Sector Sprint	Best return within a single sector	Restricted to one sector (e.g., “Tech Only”)
Long-Only	Best return without short selling	No shorting permitted
Options-Only	Best return using only options strategies	Options contracts exclusively
Day Trading	Best return with mandatory flat EOD	All positions must close before market close
Dividend Harvest	Highest total dividends collected	Income-focused strategy
Solo Challenge	Beat a target return (no ranking)	Personal goal achievement
Team	Combined team performance	2–5 member teams; aggregate returns

Seasonal Championships

Seasonal Competitions — Quarterly championships with enhanced prizes and extended duration

Major quarterly championships running 13 weeks with elevated prizes:

Q1 Championship (January – March)
Q2 Championship (April – June)
Q3 Championship (July – September)
Q4 Championship (October – December)

Seasonal competitions have higher entry standards, larger prize pools, and exclusive seasonal badges.

Competition Lifecycle

Phase	Description
Announced	Competition visible with rules, dates, and prize information
Registration Open	Users can join (entry may require minimum level or VCR deposit)
Active	Trading window open — all trades within the competition portfolio count
Completed	Trading window closed — final rankings calculated
Prizes Distributed	Winners credited with prizes (VCR, badges, XP multipliers)

Joining a Competition

Navigate to VTrade → Competitions
Browse Active (in progress, you can still join) or Upcoming (not yet started)
Review the competition card: format, duration, rules, prize pool, current participants
Click Join — read and accept the rules
Trade normally during the competition window — all qualifying trades automatically count

Rules & Constraints

Each competition defines its own ruleset. Common constraints include:

Rule Type	Examples
Asset restrictions	”US equities only”, “No crypto”, “ETFs only”
Position limits	”Max 10 concurrent positions”, “No single position > 20%“
Minimum activity	”At least 5 trades during the competition”
Leverage restrictions	”No margin” or “Max 1.5× leverage”
Holding periods	”Minimum 1-hour hold time”

Carefully read all competition rules before joining. Rule violations (detected automatically) result in disqualification without refund of any entry deposit.

Prize Structure

Placement	Typical Rewards
🥇 1st Place	VCR bonus (50,000–500,000), Gold badge, 2× XP multiplier (7 days), Featured on leaderboard
🥈 2nd Place	VCR bonus (25,000–250,000), Silver badge, 1.5× XP multiplier (7 days)
🥉 3rd Place	VCR bonus (10,000–100,000), Bronze badge, 1.25× XP multiplier (3 days)
Top 10	VCR bonus (5,000–50,000), Participant badge
All Participants	Competition participation badge (seasonal competitions only)

Messages

Navigate to VTrade → Messages for private communications with other traders. The messaging system supports one-on-one conversations, group chats, and rich content sharing — enabling direct collaboration and idea exchange.

Messaging Capabilities

Feature	Description
Direct Messages (1:1)	Private conversation between two users
Group Chats	Multi-participant conversations (up to 50 members)
Rich Content	Text, images, ticker mentions ($AAPL), links with preview cards
Read Receipts	Blue checkmarks indicating message has been read
Online Status	Green dot (online), yellow dot (idle), grey (offline)
Typing Indicator	”User is typing…” shown in real-time
Message Search	Full-text search within a conversation

Starting a Conversation

Click + Compose at the top of the messages panel
Search for one or more usernames in the recipient field
For 1:1: select a single recipient
For group chat: select multiple recipients and assign a group name
Type your message and send

Message Management

Action	Description
Mute	Silence notifications from a conversation (messages still accumulate)
Block	Prevent a user from sending you messages (they see “message not delivered”)
Report	Flag abusive or spam messages for moderation review
Delete	Remove a conversation from your inbox (other participant retains their copy)
Pin	Pin a conversation to the top of your message list
Archive	Move to archive (accessible via filter toggle, not deleted)

Notifications

The bell icon (🔔) in the top navigation bar displays your unread notification count. Click to expand the notification panel showing categorized alerts from across the platform.

Notification Categories

Category	Trigger Events
Social	New follower, post liked, comment received, mentioned in a post, repost
Trading	Order filled, order cancelled/rejected, position P&L alert, margin warning
Competition	Contest started, rank change (up or down), competition ended, prize awarded
System	Scheduled maintenance, new feature announcement, security alert, ToS update
Group	New post in your group, join request (if admin), member joined/left
Copilot	Recommendation generated, thesis update available, catalyst triggered
Price Alerts	Watchlist alert triggered (price/volume/percentage condition met)

Notification Management

Action	Description
Mark as Read	Click individual notification or “Mark All as Read”
Filter by Category	Tab filter to show only specific notification types
Dismiss	Swipe or click × to remove individual notifications
Settings	Link to notification preferences (configure delivery channels)

Profile

Your profile is your public identity on VTrade. It showcases your trading track record, achievements, and social presence — serving as your professional trading resume within the community.

Profile Customization

Navigate to your profile via avatar click or VTrade → Profile:

Field	Description	Visibility
Display Name	Public-facing name (2–30 characters)	Always public
Username	Unique @handle for mentions and search	Always public
Avatar	Profile photo (upload or select generated)	Always public
Bio	Short description of trading philosophy/style (200 characters)	Always public
Social Links	Twitter/X, Discord, YouTube, personal website URLs	Public (optional)
Country	Country of residence (shows flag on profile)	Public (optional)

Privacy & Visibility Controls

Setting	Options	Default
Profile Discoverable	Visible in People search and suggestions / Hidden	Visible
Show Positions	Display open positions publicly / Hide all positions	Hidden
Show Returns	Display performance metrics publicly / Hide returns	Visible
DM Permissions	Accept from Everyone / Followers Only / Nobody	Everyone
Activity Visibility	Show trading activity in feed / Private activity	Public

Badges & Achievements Display

Your profile prominently showcases earned badges organized by category:

Badge Category	Examples
Level Badge	Current XP level (auto-updates, always displayed)
Competition Badges	Gold/Silver/Bronze for podium finishes
Streak Badges	7-day, 30-day, 100-day, 365-day trading streaks
Milestone Badges	First Trade, 100th Trade, 1000th Trade, First Million VCR
Seasonal Badges	Quarterly championship participation and placement
Skill Badges	Quiz mastery, Copilot power user, Community contributor
Profile Frames	Exclusive avatar borders for Legend-tier achievements

Referral Program

Your profile includes a unique referral link. When someone registers using your link:

Benefit	Recipient	Amount
Sign-up Bonus	New user (referee)	50,000 VCR
Referral Reward	You (referrer)	25,000 VCR
Achievement	You (referrer)	“Recruiter” badge (after 5 referrals)

Referral statistics (total referred, total VCR earned from referrals) are visible on your profile dashboard.

​Social & Community

​Leaderboard

​Ranking Methodology

​Time Period Selection

​Scope Filters

​Leaderboard Table Columns

​Your Position Indicator

​Trader Profiles (Click-Through)

​Feed

​Feed Algorithms (Tab Selection)

​Content Creation

​Interaction System

​Hashtag Discovery

​People Discovery

​Discovery Categories

​Trader Cards

​Search

​Groups

​Group Visibility Types

​Group Categories

​My Groups

​Creating a Group

​Group Administration

​Competitions

​Competition Formats

​Seasonal Championships

​Competition Lifecycle

​Joining a Competition

​Rules & Constraints

​Prize Structure

​Messages

​Messaging Capabilities

​Starting a Conversation

​Message Management

​Notifications

​Notification Categories

​Notification Management

​Profile

​Profile Customization

​Privacy & Visibility Controls

​Badges & Achievements Display

​Referral Program

Social & Community

Leaderboard

Ranking Methodology

Time Period Selection

Scope Filters

Leaderboard Table Columns

Your Position Indicator

Trader Profiles (Click-Through)

Feed

Feed Algorithms (Tab Selection)

Content Creation

Interaction System

Hashtag Discovery

People Discovery

Discovery Categories

Trader Cards

Search

Groups

Group Visibility Types

Group Categories

My Groups

Creating a Group

Group Administration

Competitions

Competition Formats

Seasonal Championships

Competition Lifecycle

Joining a Competition

Rules & Constraints

Prize Structure

Messages

Messaging Capabilities

Starting a Conversation

Message Management

Notifications

Notification Categories

Notification Management

Profile

Profile Customization

Privacy & Visibility Controls

Badges & Achievements Display

Referral Program