KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — In the high-stakes world of trading, where fortunes can change in an instant, commodities and index futures trader Mohammed Emir Syazwan Mohammad Medan came in first for the Affin Hwang Investment Bank’s Simulation Trading Challenge 2024 by turning US$100,000 (RM444,000) of simulated capital into US$692,391 within a month last year.
As a trader with about five years of experience, he said the winning prize — a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 valued at RM5,000 — was not what was important. Without a professional background in finance, he said the real reward was the recognition and credibility he earned by ranking first.
“I needed to prove myself and open doors to opportunities, such as joining a trading firm or institution. Winning the competition is a significant step toward achieving that goal,” he said
“During the challenge, I connected with seasoned Malaysian traders, including former floor traders from the 1990s. They often shared how winning competitions was their big breakthrough,” Emir told Malay Mail.
Emir holds a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s degree in anthropology with corporate working experience. Thus, joining the competition was a necessity, as he needed to find an avenue to establish himself as a professional trader.
“It’s a humbling experience that reinforces the value of perseverance, discipline, and constant learning,” the 35-year-old said.
In a LinkedIn post, Affin Hwang Investment Bank said the challenge let participating traders understand market dynamics and investment strategies, and learn to make informed decisions through observing trends and analysis while building confidence in a risk-free environment.
At the beginning of his trading career, Emir said he lost more than he gained. He said that trading was more than just understanding how the markets worked, and required controlling his emotions and impulses.
“A turning point came when I discovered trading books, starting with Street Smarts by Larry Connors and Linda Raschke. I explored works by Larry Williams, Edwin Lefèvre, and Dr Alexander Elder, each offering invaluable insights into trading strategies, market psychology, and emotional discipline.
Emir also said exploring online trading communities and attending broker-hosted exhibitions were vital to his growth as this allowed him to connect with other traders and refine his craft.
“Facing unemployment and dwindling savings, I turned to prayer — a first for me — seeking clarity and direction. By sheer chance, or perhaps divine intervention, I found a mentor in an online trading community. His guidance reignited my hope and helped me refine my trading approach,” Emir said.
He said he kept a trading journal and rigorously back-tested strategies before succeeding. And in July 2023, he was finally able to double his starting capital in two weeks.
“It was a milestone that validated years of effort and struggle.”
This also did not mean that winning the Affin Hwang Investment Bank was a cakewalk. Emir said his place in the ladder fluctuated despite consistent gains.
“My strategy was straightforward: focus exclusively on trading the E-mini Nasdaq 100 index. Each tick (0.25-point movement) equated to US$5, while a full point was worth US$25,” he explained.
“On the first day, November 1 — a Friday — I gained US$2,120 and placed 30th on the leaderboard. By Monday, I had dropped to 38th place, which pushed me to step up my game.
"That day, I locked in US$21,000 in profits during the US morning session, catapulting me to 5th place,” he said and added that by November 6, he was already ranked first and gained US$341,400 in total.
By day five of the competition, Emir had gained US$500,000 but he was no longer in first place. He had been surpassed by the second-place trader who made a 788 per cent gain.
“That day, market conditions became unpredictable. Even with the Federal Reserve’s expected 25-basis-point rate cut, I decided to limit my trading activity. While competitive trading demands aggression, my real-life risk management instincts kicked in, leading me to prioritize caution.
“This drop to second place taught me valuable lessons about risk tolerance and trading psychology. The new leader’s aggressive all-in strategy may have secured their lead, but I wasn’t willing to take unnecessary risks,” he recalled.
After five intense days, Emir said he went on a holiday with his family. But that didn’t stop him from continuing the competition.
“Trading while on holiday is rarely a good idea — it disrupts your rhythm, and technical issues are harder to resolve.
“True enough, my laptop charger failed mid-trade, causing unnecessary stress. I figured I just destroyed my chances of finishing the competition in the top three.
"Despite this, I added 38 per cent in gains, bringing my total to US$722,885 (623 per cent growth),” he said.
However, after returning from his holiday he was back at the top with the previous leader nowhere to be seen.
Emir assumed that the trader aimed for a record-breaking score and over-leveraged which got them eliminated.
“This experience reinforced an important lesson: sitting on the sidelines is a skill in itself. Sometimes, the best move in trading is no move at all,” he said.
“For the remainder of the competition, I shifted my strategy. Rather than widening the gap with high-risk trades, I minimized my position sizes, trading one E-mini contract at a time. The goal was to maintain composure and provoke others into taking bigger risks.”
From sleeping in four-hour intervals, when he first started trading, Emir now plans his week ahead and trades for two to three hours per session at a maximum of three times a week.
Emir now aims to develop strategies applicable in swing trading which would allow him to hold positions for days or weeks as opposed to hours.
“While I’ll take a break for now, I aspire to compete in globally recognized challenges like the Robbins World Cup Trading Championship.
“Perhaps one day, I’ll attempt to beat Larry Williams' record of 11,376 per cent,” Emir said.
The Affin Hwang Investment Bank’s Simulation Trading Challenge 2024 took place from November 1 to 29 last year and the winners were announced on January 22.
Trading platform Qi Trader simulated derivative products listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) for the competition. It was open to all Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above.
