If you’re holding back from the stock market simply because you don’t know where to begin, here’s a start – Wall Street Survivor. This interactive website allows you to not only experiment with the market on a real-time simulator, but also has learning modules that help you master the basics so you can practice trading before investing your own money.
Wallstreetsurvivor.com started off as a simple game. The fantasy stock market was a place you could invest pretend money in a stock simulator and see what happened without having the stress of watching your own cash grow or shrink. You could form leagues and compete with or against friends and coworkers to see who picked the right stock and who was the best at knowing when to ride it out and when to make the trade.
As the website grew in popularity, the creators realized that many of the game users were not just there for entertainment, but education. People interested in breaking into the market were nervous about diving in without any experience, but didn’t know where to turn for the financial expertise they desired. Wall Street Survivor saw this need and rose to the challenge. They found ways to demystify investing while still keeping the experience game-like.
On top of offering risk-free practice, a community of fellow stock market enthusiasts, and engaging opportunities with leagues, Wall Street Survivor now offers investing ideas, personal missions and a library full of articles and videos on finance-related topics to help you become an educated investor. They cover everything from portfolio basics to investing strategies. Whether you are a novice trader or someone with a financial background, there is something in the library for everyone.
So how does it all work? Once you have signed in, you are automatically given $100,000 in Wall Street Survivor cash. You can use this money to start building your portfolio by buying and trading shares in real companies at a real-time value. Wall Street Survivor breaks down the process by providing recommendations of popular stocks that you may be interested in. They also help you invest in things you know like food, cars, sports, or even kids, so that you can work within a familiar realm. If you’re more interested in a particular type of investing such as Swing Trade or Value Investing, they supply tips for that, too.
Once you know what you’re investing in and how you want to build your portfolio, you can play independently, create your own league with friends or join an already existing league. Some of the sponsored leagues even give away real cash or prizes to the winners.
However, the real prize Wall Street Survivor has to offer is the experience and education gained by its users. Anyone can use the website to get a better understanding of how the market works, how different events may affect the market, and what that means in real time for their investments. The educational videos are also available on the Zions Direct YouTube channel. Once users have learned how to manage their investments effectively, they can test out their new survival skills on the real Wall Street.
Investment products and services offered through Zions Direct, member of FINRA/SIPC, a non-bank subsidiary of Zions Bank are NOT insured by the FDIC or any federal or state governmental agency, are NOT deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, Zions Bancorporation or its affiliates, and MAY be subject to investment risks, including the possible loss of principal value or amount invested.
Starlee Holman is an employee of Zions Bank. Zions Direct is a non-bank subsidiary of Zions Bank.
