> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vectrade.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Social & Community
> Complete guide to VTrade's social trading ecosystem — performance leaderboards, content feeds, trader discovery, group communities, competitive tournaments, direct messaging, and public profile management.
# 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
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.
Above: The People discovery page with category tabs (Suggested, Top Performers, Most Followed, etc.) and trader cards displaying key metrics at a glance.
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
1. Click **+ Create Group**
2. 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 |
3. 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
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
1. Navigate to **VTrade → Competitions**
2. Browse **Active** (in progress, you can still join) or **Upcoming** (not yet started)
3. Review the competition card: format, duration, rules, prize pool, current participants
4. Click **Join** — read and accept the rules
5. 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
1. Click **+ Compose** at the top of the messages panel
2. Search for one or more usernames in the recipient field
3. For 1:1: select a single recipient
4. For group chat: select multiple recipients and assign a group name
5. 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.