17.02.2026
Stock Shark is Estonia’s most popular investment game, taking place already for the 24th time this year. Nelli Janson, Head of the LHV Investor Community, revealed in the interview who Stock Shark is intended for, what changes await players this year, and how to get the most out of the experience. We also talked about the role of psychology in investing and other exciting topics.
Please explain in one sentence what kind of a mysterious animal Stock Shark is?
It’s a stock market game where the money is fake, but the experience is real.
In any case, the teeth of the Stock Shark are sharp and this year marks the 24th time the game has been played. What is the phenomenon of Stock Shark?
The first keyword is definitely playfulness, which will continue to accompany a person throughout his life. When we are younger, we tend to have a little more fun, but the joy of discovering, experiencing, and learning is inherent in us.
Secondly, investing can seem like a huge and confusing topic at first. It is also known that a large number of people do not start investing because it seems scary. The idea that you really need to put your own money into the game to start investing makes you feel even more frightened. If stock markets are unfamiliar to you and you are also nervous, it may seem easier to leave things as they are. Stock Shark offers a great opportunity to try everything that can be done on the stock exchange without fear and without betting a single cent. A person gets a real experience, which often turns out to be a springboard for growing their own future-proofness.
How many years have you played Stock Shark?
I can proudly say that I am a veteran player, as I have participated every year since the first Stock Shark. In the early years, I was very far from the whole banking, investment and stock market world on a daily basis, because I came from a completely different sector.
A very impressive set of experiences. Do you remember your highest ranking?
If I remember correctly, my best result was 24th place. I haven’t been able to break into the top ten yet. Maybe this year or sometime in the future.
How do you think Stock Shark has changed over time?
The game has probably changed the most in terms of its reach and popularity. Today, thousands of Estonians take part in Stock Shark every year. The highest number of participants to date was in the 20th anniversary year of Stock Shark, when the number of players reached nearly 10,000.
This year’s Stock Shark is full of changes. Tell us more about them.
It’s true that this year we decided to come out with a completely new Stock Shark. The name is old, but the game is new. We now have a partner called StockTrak from Canada, one of the biggest partners of which over the years has been the Bank of America, one of the largest banks in the US. They offer a highly functional gaming environment, which means that Stock Shark players will be able to try out lots of new things.
Firstly, this year, for the first time, it is possible to trade all US stocks, meaning that trading is not limited to securities included in the S&P 500 index. There are only two exclusions. In particular, shares with a value less than $5 cannot be traded. Another exclusion is the ETFs listed on the US stock exchange, i.e. funds traded on the market, which, according to European law, are not available to residents of the European Union who are retail clients.
This will also be the first time that cryptocurrencies, which are gaining popularity, can be traded. While the enthusiasm started with retail investors, interest has now spread to big banks and funds. For example, management companies and banks have created several cryptocurrency-based ETFs, and more and more institutional money is flowing into crypto assets. Crypto has become a considerable asset class and Stock Shark is giving investors the opportunity to try their hand at trading them. Specifically, there are 100 most traded crypto assets available for trading.
Thirdly, a mysterious concept such as short-selling has been introduced to the game. This means that it is possible to make a profit on the decline in shares. Generally, when we buy shares, we bet on their price rising, but the market is volatile and rises are replaced by falls. Both price movements offer investors a chance to earn, and now it is possible to try it out in Stock Shark yourself.
It is also worth noting that while in previous years it was possible to invest the ‘full bank’ in a single stock, this time things are different. This year’s game has a restriction that a single stock or crypto asset can make up a maximum of 20 % of the portfolio. This can significantly change the dynamics of the game.
In addition, the rankings will be updated in real time this year. Previously, players had to spend the whole day in the dark, not knowing how others were doing with their portfolios, but now they will have constant information about how their friends, colleagues, or even neighbours are doing.
Finally, this year’s Stock Shark will last two months, which means the joy of playing will be longer.
Just like in the real markets, Stock Shark is full of surprises, and even experienced investors can fail. On the other hand, players who are just taking their first tentative steps in the world of investing can achieve excellent results. What are the 3 main recommendations you encourage players to follow when making decisions?
Although the Stock Shark is a game, I recommend treating it like real life. Think through a clear plan and develop arguments for why you are investing in a particular stock or sector. Formulate your investment thesis and see if it plays out. In hindsight, it is always fascinating to see whether your thought process was based on the right arguments. This will help you grow a lot as an investor.
However, you must not forget that this is still a game that gives you the freedom to make risky transactions that you might not make in real life with your own money. There is a good English expression like get it out of your system. If your heart is really calling you to make a risky trade, then don’t hesitate. Stock Shark gives you the chance to experiment with everything that pops into your head.
What are the most common psychological traps in investing and how can you skilfully avoid them?
There are many, and every investor is likely to encounter at least some of them. Ultimately, it all comes down to how our brain interprets certain events or situations. For example, it has long been established that people live through negative and painful emotions twice as intensely as positive ones. In other words, losing €100 causes us to feel much stronger emotions than winning €100. This pattern also carries over into investing, where the fear of losing money often starts to dominate our decisions. We start spinning in our heads all the ways we could lose all our money and decide not to invest at all to avoid potential future pain.
The same principle applies to risk management. It’s interesting to see how people behave in situations where a stock position has moved in a direction that is completely opposite to the plan. In investing, it’s not uncommon for something unexpected to happen that completely overturns our initial thesis. Rationally, we should admit to ourselves that the original reason for buying the stock no longer applies. This means accepting the loss and exiting the position. However, our brain wants to postpone this decision for as long as possible because we already know how much it will hurt. This kind of blindness is a big trap, because from then on, we subconsciously start looking only for arguments that continue to support our thesis and ignore everything else.
This is a very human behaviour. However, it is very important to be aware of how our brain - while actually wanting to protect us - can actually start to work against us in certain situations. This is very evident in investing. There are many moments when you have to harden your heart and rely on rigid logic alone. All in all, investing is a good way to learn more about yourself.
Who is Stock Shark for?
The Stock Shark is intended for absolutely everyone from the age of 13. It doesn’t matter whether you are seeing stocks up close for the first time in your life or are already an experienced trader. Everyone is sure to enjoy the game and the joy of discovery, probably just in slightly different ways.
How could participation in the Stock Shark game affect a person’s daily relationship with money?
This connection can be quite significant as the fear index drops. This means that terms such as stock exchange, stocks, and investing no longer seem so scary, which encourages people to take concrete steps in their real financial lives. Even for people who don’t immediately start investing with real money, Stock Shark is likely to plant a seed in their heads that motivates them to study more precisely how to be more efficient in their finances.
Finally, please give a word of encouragement to someone who is still hesitating whether or not to participate in Stock Shark.
I would like to emphasise the value of experience, which should not be underestimated under any circumstances. Even if someone reads 100 books on investing, their knowledge will still be purely theoretical. Yet it is through practical experience that people learn the most. Things are best understood when you go through the process yourself. This will create a foundation for financial security in the future.
Learn more about Stock Shark and register for the game
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